Luna Piena
by brneyedgrrl
Summary: The moon is full for Bella this time. Though it's been done to death, this is the story of Bella and Jacob if she hadn't gone into the house to find Alice waiting for her near the end of New Moon. It takes place following Bella's near-drowning, and follows the B/J relationship if Bella had never gone to Italy. Rated M for language and adult situations, possible later lemons. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's Note_: Hi, everyone, just another Twilight fanfic! Please note that this story picks up near the end of New Moon, in the middle of Chapter 16, _Paris_, when Bella freezes in Jacob's arms after she "hears" Edward tell her to "Be happy." Only this time, when Jake releases her, she stops, and this story is what happens. Please let me know what you think!**

**I do not own Twilight, any characters, or anything else you might recognize.**

CHAPTER 1

"Wait," I said. "Just a minute."

Jacob's head swung back to look at me. His eyes met mine, a question in their dark depths. "What?" he nearly whispered, as if I had a secret to tell him.

"Let's not go in yet," I said quietly. My heart suddenly pounding, I reached out to him, beckoning him for the first time. I put my hand gently on his bare forearm, and he pulled it back as if I'd burned him.

"Bells?" he said in confusion. I swallowed, suddenly shy when I'd never been shy with him. How should I do this? What was my next logical step? Kiss him? Put my arms around him? Edward had always led the way before. I had no experience here, and I didn't think Jake did either.

I was wrong. In a rush, as if he knew exactly what was on my mind, he reached for me and pulled me close. I was pressed against his hot, bare chest before I knew what was happening. He held me tight, in one of those stifling wolf-hugs. Only this time it was different. This time I could breathe.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" he asked softly.

"I…I," I stuttered.

"You what? You want me to stay? You're scared?" he asked, his eyes careful, his brows drawn together.

"Yes," I said in relief. That was as good as anything. He could stay, like Edward had done. Stay, because I was scared. "Can you? Will they let you?" Suddenly I was eager. _Oh, please let him stay, Sam_, I thought. Lying in bed with Jacob would be different than lying with Edward, not the same at all; but at least Jake was warm. And I'd been cold for months.

"Let me just…" He shifted his weight and pulled his arm from around me. Already I was used to his heat and shivered at its absence. "Uh, I'll have to let them know. Stay in the truck and lock the doors, I'll be back in a few."

"Where are you going?" I asked, alarmed, as cold air washed through the open door.

"I gotta phase, Bells. So I can tell them where I'll be. Be right back." He disappeared into the windy darkness

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I knew the pack was all around the house, that I was likely as safe as possible given the situation, but I still glanced around the truck nervously. The doors were locked, but would a locked door matter to Victoria? I knew it wouldn't. But I also knew that Jake wouldn't let me out of his sight. He'd be phased, too, so that made me feel a little safer. While he was gone, I considered my decision. Was this fair to Jake? Was it fair to let him in, to let him love me, where there was no way I could love him back the same way?

But what if I did learn to love him? Not like I loved Edward, never like that, but maybe there was a part of me that could love Jake the way he deserved to be loved. I did love him, just not in the way he wanted. Would I be able to love him in that way, in a romantic way?

His appearance at the passenger's side window made me gasp. I could see his grin, Cheshire-like, before I saw the rest of his face. Evidently it was a go. Sam had given him leave to stay with me.

He yanked open the door and pulled me out by the hand. "I said I was staying here. It's not a bad idea, really. Even if she does get through them, she'll never get through me. I can phase and she'll never know what hit her!"

I laughed unwillingly. He was so single-minded. I was inviting him to sleep in my bed and all he could think of was how great it would be to have the element of surprise on his side in case Victoria showed up in my room!

I reminded myself to react as if I were relieved, not excited, that he was staying. After all, I was pretending to be scared, right? "Yeah," I agreed. "You'll blow her mind. I just hope the house survives."

"Awesome!" agreed Jake, pulling me up onto the porch and reaching under the eaves for the key as he'd seen me do a million times. He unlocked the door and tugged me inside.

The house was dark and immediately I turned on the table lamp next to Charlie's chair. The soft light fell across Jake's face as he grinned down at me. "Wanna watch TV or something?" he asked.

"No," I said. I looked at him levelly. "I want to go to bed."

Jake suddenly seemed to realize what we were doing. This wasn't about Victoria anymore. Carefully he asked, "You're tired?"

Again, I was shy. "Well…" I began, drawing out the word. "I did almost drown today. So maybe I'll take a shower first. But yeah, I'm tired."

"Yeah, I could use a shower too," he said absently, then realizing what he said, he looked at me guiltily. "When you're done," he amended.

"Come on up to my room. I don't think Charlie will be home tonight, but if he does come in, I don't want him to know you're here." I led him up the stairs. I gathered clean underwear and pajamas, choosing the camisole and silky pants I used when I wanted to impress Edward, pushing the ratty sweats to the back of the drawer. "I'll be back in a sec," I said, going down the hall to the bathroom.

When I'd showered and shaved my legs, I combed through my hair and pulled it up in a pony tail, which I then braided. I was back within ten minutes to find Jake pawing through the papers on my computer desk. He barely looked up at me as I sat down on the bed.

"Looks like you have some homework over break," he commented.

"Just a paper for English. I'm almost done," I told him. "Do you want some clean sweat pants? I could probably get some out of Charlie's room."

"Yeah, that would be good," he said, still not looking at me. "Just hang 'em on the bathroom door." He walked out of my room and down the hall to the bathroom. Why wouldn't he look at me?

I dug through Charlie's drawers until I found the biggest pair of sweat pants he owned and hung them on the bathroom doorknob. Going back to my room, I looked in the mirror. Were the pajamas I was wearing a little too sexy? Is that why he wouldn't look at me? I didn't want to scare him away, but I didn't want to change either. That would be embarrassingly obvious.

My cheeks were flushed after my bout with the near-drowning, and I was tired and subdued. Harry's death weighed heavily on me. I knew Charlie would be devastated, as Billy had been. I was thirsty beyond belief, so I quickly went downstairs and grabbed a pitcher of ice water from the kitchen along with two glasses and a bag of chips for Jake. Maybe some food would make him a little less jumpy. He'd seemed nervous ever since I'd brought him upstairs.

When I got back to my room, he was seated at the computer, wearing Charlie's sweatpants and surfing the internet. He didn't turn around as I came back in and shut the door behind me. "You hungry?" I asked.

He finally turned to look at me, and I saw a blush wash over his face as he tried not to look at my breasts, covered by the soft camisole. He dragged his eyes to my face, abashed. "Always," he answered with a self-conscious grin. I didn't miss the double meaning. Without waiting for an invitation, he grabbed the bag of chips out of my hand and tore them open. He pulled one out and crunched it into his mouth.

"I'm dying of thirst," I said, pouring the water into the glasses. I set one on the computer desk and warned him, "I usually don't drink anything on that desk. So don't spill anything on my computer."

"I'm not you, Bells," he said, turning back to the computer. I went and stood behind him, lightly resting a hand on his bare shoulder.

"What are you looking at?" I asked.

"Facebook," he answered, stuffing more chips into his mouth. He slugged the water back as I looked at his page over his shoulder. Someone named Tori had put, "We neeeeeddd to have some classes together Jakey!" on his wall, followed by three hearts and two smiley faces. He'd answered, in classic Jake fashion, "yup." There were pictures of him I'd never seen, taken with picture phones in the res school hallways. A picture of him with a pretty, dark-haired girl, holding hands and grinning, his hair still long and silky. One of him with long hair again in a sea of girls, all of them with their tongues out and dyed blue from some candy or gum. Another one of him with Quil, his hair pulled back in a pony tail, both of them holding giant cups of soda and pretending to smoke the straws like cigarettes, their eyes squinting sexily. One of him running in gym class, this time with his hair cropped short, his massive biceps bulging out of his gym shirt, a look of concentration on his face. There were several comments under this picture, all from girls who seemed to be smitten with the swarthy look and his giant arms. "LOOOVVEE your hair!" "Run by me any day, baby!" "Ooooo, those arms!" "Sexxxaaayyyy!"

"Who is _this_?" I asked tartly, pointing at the girl with whom he was holding hands.

"Oh, that's Katrina. She's a friend," he said evasively.

"Looks like more than a friend," I mumbled. "And who's this Tori chick?"

He looked up at me, his face innocent, chip crumbs on his lips. "You jealous or something?" I could see the smile in his eyes.

"Hm!" I sniffed, shrugging. "Makes no difference to me!" I went over and sat on the bed. Jake shut the computer down, coming over and sitting next to me. He smelled like shampoo and soap. His black hair had little drops of water on the ends. Just his innate maleness being so near me made me catch my breath.

He looked right into my face, forcing me to look back at him. There was a tiny grin on his lips. "I think you're jealous, Bella Swan," he accused teasingly.

I felt my face warm and knew I was blushing. "I am not!" I said hotly, unable to look away from his dancing eyes.

"You are. Look at you! You don't like the fact that I have a fan club!" He laughed.

"Fan club!" I spluttered, forcing a laugh. "Please! Some little bimbos write on your wall and hold your hand? That's a fan club?" I made my voice high and sing-songy. "Oh, Jakey, you're so strong and handsome! I _need_ to have some classes with you so I can look at your big arms all day!" I batted my eyes, giggling.

"You want to join?" he asked with mock seriousness. "There's a waiting list, but I think I might be able to pull a few strings for you." His grin was contagious, and I smiled back at him before I realized that his hand was suddenly on my knee. I stared at it as if there was a tarantula there.

"Is this okay?" he asked softly, raising his eyebrows and moving his hand just a tiny bit on my leg.

I looked up at his, my heart pounding. Was it okay? He was so near, I could feel the heat radiating from his skin. It was so welcoming, so different from the icy blast I was used to. Slowly I nodded.

"Are you still scared?" he asked. _Scared? What is he talking about? _My mind fumbled to understand until I remembered, that was what I'd told him to get him to stay. I nodded again.

"Don't worry, Bella. You're safe here with me."

And I knew I was.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed Chapter 1. Things get slightly heavier in this chapter because Bella is trying to work out her feelings for Jacob vs her lingering feelings for Edward. I do not own Twilight, any characters, or anything else you may recognize. Please feel free to review!**

CHAPTER 2

Despite my near-drowning episode, we stayed up for at least two hours talking about all the crazy things that had been happening. We covered Victoria, Harry, my ridiculous jump into the ocean, and something I hadn't known; that Seth and Leah had phased. The pack hadn't really expected Seth to phase so soon, but Leah? No one had expected Leah to phase at all. It threw a definite monkey wrench into the workings of the pack.

"Yeah, it took awhile to get her to calm down enough to phase back. Luckily Sam was able to talk her down. Seth thinks it's the coolest thing ever, but I think Leah would rather be dead," Jake told me.

"Poor Leah," I cried. "Will she and Seth be able to hold it together for the funeral?

"I think so," Jake said uncertainly. "Emily is really close to old Lee-hana, the Shaman. Emily thinks Lee-hana will give Leah something to help her."

"Like a sedative?" I asked.

"Something like that," Jake said evasively. "Herbal though." He was quiet for a minute. "At least it gives us a few more sets of eyes on our side. A few more sets of teeth, y'know?"

"I guess," I said doubtfully, not really seeing any good in this magical transformation, not to mention that I felt completely responsible. After all, Victoria wouldn't be here if it weren't for me and my association with the Cullens.

Jake exhaled loudly. "Enough of the doom and gloom. I thought you said you were tired."

"I am," I said, really feeling it now. I lay down and pulled the comforter over me, cuddling down into the covers. He looked down at me, amused.

"So…you're a blanket hog, huh?" he commented.

I realized I'd wrapped up in the entire blanket, like I'd always done with Edward. He'd always made sure the comforter was between us, so I wouldn't get chilled from his wintry skin. Of course, Jake wouldn't know that. I laughed shortly, unwrapping and holding out the covers so he could crawl in. "I'm not used to sleeping with anyone else, like you seem to be, Jakey," I teased him. He snuggled under the quilt next to me and I suddenly stiffened as he pressed up against my back.

"I'll be the big spoon," he whispered into my hair, making me giggle. It was so nice to actually feel warm skin and not cold blanket pressing up against me. I never realized how uncomfortable constant freezing temperatures could be. In the past months, I'd gotten used to sleeping without that marble statue next to me. The welcoming heat that emanated from Jake seemed to draw me in and I snuggled back against him like a kitten in the warm fur of its mother.

His brawny arms twined around me, carefully avoiding my breasts, and pulled me in closer to him. Abruptly I became aware of his erection poking against my backside. It both scared and excited me. He nuzzled into my neck, raising chills along my arms.

"Jake," I said in a warning tone, not really meaning it.

He ignored me, whispering into my neck, "You still scared?"

"A little," I said quietly.

"But you're not scared of the redhead, are you?" he said in the same soft whisper.

"No," I breathed, my heart pounding.

"You scared of me?" he asked, his deep voice raspy.

I nodded, afraid to speak again for fear my voice would break.

"Bells, you've got nothing to be afraid of," he said, kissing me behind my ear. But I could feel what I was afraid of, and it was pressing insistently into my ass. As if to punctuate my fear, he thrust once, softly, into my back.

"Jake, I…" I began.

"What?" he whispered between kisses on my neck, shoulder, ear. "What are you worried about? I love you Bella, you must know that. I've loved you for a year. More even. You invited me into your bed. What are you scared of?"

I was glad he couldn't see my blazing face. "I'm scared of…this," I said in a whisper. "Scared you'll hurt me. Scared we'll go too far."

"Mmmmm," he murmured softly against the nape of my neck, and the vibration made me shiver. "What do you mean, too far? It's not like you're a virgin or anything."

I froze and Jacob froze in response. "What?" he asked at a normal volume.

"What did you say?" I asked. "That I'm not a virgin?"

"Yeah," he said, obviously embarrassed. "You're not, right? I mean, you were dating the vamp for a pretty long time there. I figured you guys were…y'know, doing it."

"Jake," I said softly, embarrassed as well. "Of _course_ I'm a virgin."

I felt him pull away; shake his head as if he hadn't heard correctly. His strong arms turned me around in the bed so we were face to face. "Are you serious?" he asked, incredulous now, an embarrassed little grin on his face. "You and that bloodsucker never went all the way?"

"No, Jake!" I backed away from him, still facing him on the bed, hot spots forming on my cheeks. "No! I wanted to, but Edward said no. We… we couldn't! He was afraid he'd hurt me or…" I broke off, knowing I'd said too much.

He shook his head again. "What? _You _wanted to but _he_ didn't? Wait, hurt you? Hurt you or what? _Kill_ you?"

I took a shuddery breath, my eyes not leaving his. "Holy shit! You're not kidding, he could have _killed_ you?" I nodded slowly. "Hold on! You stayed with him when you _knew_ this? What if you guys had…" He couldn't go on. His voice caught in his throat.

"I know, Jake, I know it was stupid, but we were really careful. And nothing ever happened like that. We didn't even come close. Never, not once. What are you so upset about?"

His black eyes blinked rapidly as he took in my explanation. "What am I upset about? I'm upset because you're afraid of _me_, but you wanted to do it with that leech! What the fuck, Bells?"

"But Jake, come on! You can't expect me…I mean, Edward and I dated for months!"

He looked down, the anger draining from his face. "We've been seeing each other for awhile too, Bells," he said quietly.

His words stunned me into silence. We _had_ been seeing each other, but in my mind it hadn't been the same as in his. All this time, I'd been fooling myself. Jake was in love with me. Mike was right. I was cruel.

"I didn't know you felt that way about me," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"I love you, Bella. I've loved you since I saw you with your friends on First Beach. Don't tell me you didn't know," he said wretchedly. He wouldn't look at me, his eyes downcast.

I knew. Of course I knew. His saying it made me admit that I'd been aware of it since that day. And I hadn't helped matters at all. I'd led him on, starting that afternoon with my clumsy flirting. I'd played with his emotions, this sweet, honest boy who up until a few weeks ago, had never done anything to hurt me. In fact, he'd done the exact opposite; tried in every way to make me happy.

I felt terrible. I'd been so focused on Edward…

Edward!

Why hadn't I noticed? I'd been thinking and saying his name without the miserable hole making itself known – and I'd been doing it all night. Ever since Jake pulled me from the water. What did it mean?

I tried it again. Edward. Edward. Nothing. I felt no pull of pain in my chest, no desolate longing. It was gone. There weren't even the remnants of the agony I'd been harboring for months.

Abruptly, I was disgusted with myself. Here in front of me was a beautiful boy with a heart of gold, offering it to me without strings or conditions. And here I was mooning over a boy who'd left me months ago and cut ties so severely that I didn't even have a photo or memento to remember him by. Where had Edward been in my abandonment? Jake had been there at every turn.

All at once, I was grateful to Jake, as I should have been from the beginning, that first day when I'd brought him the bikes. Not just thankful, as I'd been in my selfish longing for something that was out of reach, but truly grateful. Grateful in the way that made me realize it was my turn now to give him something.

"Oh, my God, Jake, I'm so sorry. You're right, I've been…awful. I feel terrible. I knew. I know. I know you love me and, Jake?" My heart pounded as he looked up at me, finally, his eyes hurt beyond belief.

"Don't say it," he said viciously. "I don't want to hear any more. And I can't stand to have you hand me any more of your bullshit." He got up out of the bed, leaving me cold and petrified that he'd leave. "You fooled me for the last time, Bells." He turned his back on me.

I got out of bed and caught his wrist. "Jake, don't leave! Please, Jacob, don't go. I'm begging you here." Tears caught on my lashes as I desperately pulled him back. "Come back. Come back to bed."

He turned back to me and his eyes stopped me in my tracks. There was real hatred there, and tears sparkled in the corners. "Just stab me, ok? Run a big knife straight into my heart. It'll be quicker."

"NO!" Now I was crying outright, tears streaming down my face. I still held his wrist and I yanked on it fiercely. "I'm sorry, Jake! I'm sorry. I didn't know." I hesitated. "Well, I knew, but I didn't want to admit it. I was too busy being stupid. I…I didn't realize how much I was depending on you, how much I lo…"

"Shut up!" he shouted, pulling his hand away and stepping back angrily, covering his ears with his fists. "Don't say it! I can't stand to hear you say it and then have your mind go back to that mother-fu…" He clenched his teeth, trying not to finish his thought out loud. And for once, I agreed with him. He was describing Edward perfectly.

That egotistical jerk had dominated my thoughts for seven months now, and what had I to show for it? Nothing except a dear friend, hurt beyond repair, heartbroken to the point of nearly physical pain, and a head full of memories I'd rather not have. Because, really, if I'd never known Edward's love, I'd never miss it. Maybe it wasn't better to have loved and lost. I'd almost rather I'd never loved Edward at all.

I grabbed Jacob's hand again. "Jake, please. You're not leaving, are you?"

He took a deep breath, seeming to center himself. His hands were shaking again, and he clenched them into fists, jerking free of my grip. "No," he said steadily, his voice deeper than I'd ever heard it. "I won't leave. I'm not a liar. I said I'd stay and I'll stay. But you're sleeping alone tonight, Bella."

I hated when he called me Bella.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

I tried to get him to come back to bed, I really did. I mean, how hard could it be to get a horny teenage boy to get in bed with you when you were dressed in a skimpy camisole and a pair of silky pajama pants? Impossible, evidently. No matter what I said, he stubbornly refused to even sit on the bed. I was glad Charlie had decided to spend the night at Sue's or he'd have heard us arguing long into the night.

I was exhausted, and finally fell into a fitful sleep full of dreams of wolves abandoning me in the rainy green forest and black water sucking me down. Jake sat in my old rocking chair, staring moodily out the window, sighing periodically but never leaving his post. It gave me a small measure of comfort that he, at least, didn't abandon me.

In the morning, I felt groggy and sick. My head pounded and my heart was sore, more sore than it had ever been, because it was back. It was there, not missing as it felt like it had been for so many months. It was back, but it was broken.

Charlie was back early, and both Jake and I startled when we heard the cruiser crunching into the drive. Jake looked over at me. It seemed he'd finally fallen asleep, too, though he looked like death warmed over. The boy needed sleep, and I'd deprived him of that too.

I sat up, rubbing my eyes sleepily. He smiled. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? "You're all bed-headed," he said. My hand flew to my hair. The braid had come undone and it swirled around my shoulders, wavy and wild. I tried self-consciously to smooth it down but he made a small noise of protest.

"Leave it," he said. "It's cute."

I looked up at him cautiously. Had I been forgiven overnight? Was he willing to try again? I got my answer when he walked over and bent to kiss me softly on the cheek. "Sorry about last night, Bells. I was just…upset."

His tone brought tears to my eyes, though I thought I'd cried them all out the night before. "I'm so sorry about everything, Jake, Really, I…" He put a finger over my lips.

"Shh," he said. "It's okay. Be quiet now. Lay down and pretend you're asleep so I can deal with Charlie."

There he went again, giving me what I needed. The grogginess and headache disappeared as if by magic, and my sore heart warmed. Obediently, I lay down and covered up, closing my eyes as I heard Charlie's tread on the stairs. Jake opened my bedroom door just as Charlie reached the top step.

"What the…?" I heard Charlie's startled, angry question before Jake shushed him and closed the door softly behind him. I could still hear their muffled conversation through the door.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here, Black?"

"Charlie. She was inconsolable last night. I thought she was going to lose it," Jake said, completely forgetting the fact that he'd sworn to me he was no liar. What he said was technically true, but not for the reasons he was implying. "I had to stay. I was really worried about her, and I didn't want to call you, y'know, with Harry and all."

At the mention of Harry's name, I heard Charlie sigh heavily. "Yeah, what a thing, huh?" he said sadly. Then he seemed to gather himself. "So what…you stayed here all night? In her room?" I could tell Charlie didn't like the situation one bit, but he wanted to believe that Jake and I hadn't actually done anything.

"Shit, Charlie! Is that the kinda guy you think I am?" Jake was indignant. "You think I'd take advantage of Bella like that? The girl was beside herself! She was at our place when Sam brought Billy back from the hospital, and Billy was really upset. Bella took it hard. She didn't want to make you come home because she thought Sue needed you, and honestly, I didn't want to leave her alone here. I sat up in the rocking chair all night. She finally fell asleep around three or so. Poor kid, even once she was asleep she couldn't settle down. Talked all night."

My stomach clutched when I heard that. Was Jake still stretching the truth, or was this the real story? Had I been talking in my sleep all night? Had he heard embarrassing things, like me declaring my love for him, as I had with Edward so many times while I'd been asleep? Maybe this was the answer to the question of him forgiving me so quickly.

"Ah, that girl can't shut up when she's asleep," said Charlie ruefully. "Been like that since she was little. And when that Cullen son of a …" Charlie checked himself. "When that guy left her, all she did for months was scream in her sleep. That didn't stop until she started hanging out with you, Jake. Now I don't mind if what you're telling me is true and she really needed your company last night. But this isn't something I'd approve of under normal circumstances. And I don't want you spending the night here again, you understand me?" He was Chief Swan now, his cop voice out in full force. A brave man, Charlie. Jake stood well over a foot taller than him and had about fifty pounds of muscle on my dad, but Charlie wasn't afraid to read him the riot act.

"I know, Charlie, I know." Jake was contrite. "This isn't something that'll become a habit, believe me. I'm beat. That chair sucks when it comes to sleeping."

Charlie sighed again, then he seemed to make some sort of questioning noise. "What the hell? Are those my pants, Black?"

Jacob seemed at a loss momentarily, and then he answered, "Uhh, yeah, sorry about that. Bells gave 'em to me. I took a shower when we got in last night, and my stuff was all muddy from the rain."

There was a pause. "Last time," I heard Charlie say menacingly, and I could picture him pointing his finger in Jake's face as he said it.

"Noted," answered Jake. Charlie continued down the hall to his room, and I breathed a sigh of relief. The door opened silently and Jake crept back in.

"Whew!" he said theatrically, running his hand across his forehead as if to wipe off flop sweat. "I thought for a second there that we were toast."

I smiled up at him with a little giggle. "He was putty in your hands," I teased.

"Yeah, well, he's pretty broke up about Harry or I don't think we'd've gotten away with it," said Jake. He looked at me. "By the way, you know I'm gonna have to make an appearance at that wake and funeral."

"I know," I said. "I'll be fine here."

"No, you'll go with me. There's no way I'm leaving you here alone with the redhead still on the loose. You'll be on the res with me. It's the safest place for you."

"I don't want to go," I said, thinking of how devastated Harry's family would be. Leah and Seth were both near my age. It hit too close to home.

"Bells, no one in their right mind goes to wakes and funerals because they want to. You go to show your respect for the person who died and the people they left behind. You're going because it's the right thing to do, and because I'm going. We won't stay at the wake long. The place will be crowded anyhow. We can make a quick appearance and leave. Sue knows about the pack now, with Seth and Leah phasing. She'll know the pack won't be able to stay long."

Jake was right. I'd go out of respect for Harry and his family, and for Charlie too. "Do you think Sam will let you stay with me?" I asked apprehensively.

He seemed to share my worry. "I don't know," he said uncertainly. "I hope so. But we need every member to get that redhead; that much I do know. Don't worry, Charlie will be at Sue's. You can stay there if you want, or you can hang out at my place."

I sighed. Neither option sounded good to me. I'd feel like a third wheel no matter where I was, but it seemed I had no choice. "I guess we should go downstairs. If Charlie hears us chatting away in here, we're dead meat," I said. I rose from the bed and took my terrycloth robe off its hook in the closet, putting it on. I didn't miss Jake's appreciative look at my boobs when he thought I wasn't looking.

"Keep your eyes to yourself," I said with a little smile, adjusting the robe around me. His cheeks turned pink.

"Oh, please," he said to cover his embarrassment. "Remember, I have a fan club." He grabbed my hand as we walked down the stairs.

Breakfast was subdued. Charlie was quiet and pensive, and Jake and I didn't feel comfortable talking when he felt so bad. I made bacon, eggs, orange juice, and coffee, and Jake heaped food on his plate. For the first time that morning, I saw Charlie smile.

"Jacob, leave some for the rest of us," he said, chuckling.

"Sorry, I'm starved," Jake answered around a mouthful of bacon.

"Make some toast or something, Bella. This kid is gonna eat us out of house and home," Charlie said, and I popped some bread in the toaster. I remembered a package of muffins I had in one of the cabinets, so I put them on a plate in front of Jacob. All eight were gone before the toast was buttered. Charlie shook his head.

"You La Push boys can sure eat," he commented, and then he was silent. The rest of the meal was punctuated by Jake crunching the toast and bacon and gulping the OJ.

We worked out the time of the wake and when we'd go, and Charlie told Jake he'd pick up Billy to save him the trouble. Jake mentioned that he'd be going with Sam and the rest of the "guys."

"That'll mean a lot to Sue and the kids," Charlie commented. "What time were you planning on getting there?"

"I'll have to talk to Sam first," Jacob answered.

Charlie excused himself to shower. While I washed the breakfast dishes, Jake dried them and put them away. Once again I was reminded of his virile presence as he stood next to me, shirtless, his pecs and biceps bunching and straining under his copper skin as he moved. For a second I stared at him, mesmerized. His chuckle snapped me out of it.

"What did you tell me upstairs? Keep your eyes to yourself?" he teased me, grinning. Now it was my turn to blush. "Seriously, I can totally get you into my fan club. You sure you don't want to join?"

"Funny, Jake," I said sarcastically, swinging the wet dishrag at him. The suds trailed down his stomach, dribbling through the divots in his six-pack and sliding down the cut lines on his hips. A sinewy path of black curly hair trailed from his navel down into the waistband of his pants. I gulped as I pulled my eyes away, conspicuous and mortified.

He was almost as embarrassed as I was, and cleared his throat as he turned away. But now I had a front-seat view of his amazing ass, only the thin sweats hanging off his hips. I took a deep breath and studiously looked away.

"I gotta call Sam," he mumbled, going toward the phone.

"Okay," I said, my voice shaky. I finished up the dishes and tidied the kitchen, then went upstairs as I heard him talking in low tones on the phone. I wanted another shower and needed to pick out clothes for the wake and funeral. Luckily, I had a nice pair of black pants I could wear to the funeral. A satiny white blouse and a pair of dressy black flats would go with them. But what to wear to the wake? I had the khaki skirt I used for most of my special occasions, so I decided that would have to do. A soft green sweater and a pair of brown boots would look fine. Once I had my clothes ready, I gathered my bathroom stuff and took a quick shower, then dressed for the wake though it was much too early. I figured I could take my time making a nice dinner so it would be ready when we got back from the wake later.

Jake stuck his head in my room and asked if I was ready. "Yeah, is this okay?" I asked, turning so he could see my outfit.

"You look really nice, Bells," he said. "We have to go now."

"Already?" I asked. "It's not even eleven o'clock!"

"Yeah, I talked to Paul. We have to get back. I'm gonna have to leave you at Sue's or my place. We'll have to steer clear of the beach. They're pretty sure she's hiding in the water."

I really didn't want to spend the day at either the Black's or the Clearwater's houses, but it didn't look like I had much of a choice. I yelled to Charlie, "We're leaving, Dad! See you later!"

He poked his head out of his bedroom door. "Already?" he asked.

"Jake has to get home, so I'm going with him," I said. "We'll probably catch you at the wake."

"Guess I'll talk to you later, then," he mumbled, disappearing.

Together Jacob and I went out to the truck. I was dying to ask him what he'd heard me say in my sleep last night, and I was looking forward to getting him alone, without Charlie in earshot. So as soon as he pulled onto the highway, I started trying to joke it out of him. However, he wasn't biting.

"So, why the sudden switch this morning?" I asked. "You didn't want anything to do with me last night and now everything is okay again. What's up with that?" I kept my tone light.

He pretended he didn't know what I was talking about. "Whaddya mean, I didn't want anything to do with you? I stayed with you all night!" he protested.

"Yeah, but I'm talking about before. When we were in the bed," I said.

He looked at me sideways. "When I was the big spoon?" he asked with a little grin.

I laughed unwillingly. "Yeah. When you got mad and almost left. I mean, I thought you were so pissed at me that you'd leave first thing in the morning. So what happened to change your mind?"

"Bells, I just couldn't stay in that bed with you after…after what you said."

"What I said about what?" I asked, starting to get embarrassed all over again. "About being a virgin?"

He hesitated. "Partly," he answered reluctantly.

"What's the other part?" I asked.

"Bells, really? Come on, we don't want to start this again," he said, his tone pleading.

"I just want to know why you changed your mind about me so fast. And I heard what you were saying to Charlie when he got home. Did I talk in my sleep, Jake?"

A slight flush came over his face and he ducked his head, so I knew I'd hit on something. "I did, didn't I?" I said. "Please tell me what I said."

Now his tone became jovial. "Oh, you had a lot to say. You were really chatty," he laughed.

"Come on, Jake, that's not fair! Tell me," I pleaded.

The levity left his face and he was suddenly the stranger, the man I associated with Sam and the pack and not the boy who brought me sunshine in my dark days. "I'll tell you something you said before you went to sleep," he said roughly. "You said you were afraid of me. And then, practically at the same time, you say that bloodsucker could have killed you by trying to love you. That's messed up Bells. Big time. I don't really know what to think after that."

I was silent for a moment, digesting this. "But you forgave me, right?" I asked, confused.

He gave a tortured sigh, but then his face changed, as if he were thinking of something pleasant. A little smile touched his lips and my Jake was back. "Yeah, Bells. You're forgiven," he said.

"So the question is why?" I asked, frustrated.

He looked over at me, taking his eyes off the road for a second. "Because I forgive you, okay? That's the only reason I have."

I knew it wasn't the only reason he had. But I settled for it. For now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm aiming to update every other day but I'll try for every day. I'm doing two today since Chapter 4 is so short. **

**I don't own Twilight, any characters, or anything else you may recognize. Keep reviewing – and thanks again. :)**

CHAPTER 4

Bored to death and missing Jacob, I flipped morosely through the basic cable channels at Billy's house. I'd been alone most of the day. After a quick pop-in at the wake, where I certainly didn't want to linger, Jacob had dropped me off here and left with the rest of the pack, returning only every couple of hours or so to be sure I was okay. Otherwise I sat, quiet and disinterested, watching the boob tube as rain pelted the roof.

I heard a thud outside and assumed that either someone was returning with Billy, or Jake was coming back to check on me again. I thought nothing of it until I realized I was waiting to hear something further; a key in the door, a knock, footsteps. But there was nothing, no sound at all. It was dark out now and I was beginning to get hungry, but all thoughts of food were suddenly gone as I sat motionless, listening in vain for…something. I heard nothing except the relentless rain.

Things were beginning to spook me. I turned the TV down; though I wasn't watching it with any interest, I didn't want to turn it off completely. I needed something to keep me company. I tried not to think how pathetic it was that I was using TV for that purpose until I heard a light scratching. My heart abruptly went into overdrive, adrenaline shooting through me. I almost expected to hear Edward's voice, so accustomed was I to my illusions whenever I got that nervous rush, but again, I heard nothing but the storm.

I sat frozen on the old sofa. Should I get up and at least peer through the windows to see if something or someone was outside? Should I try to find a weapon? My mind ran through the options: knives, tools, barricades of some sort. Nothing I came up with would be effective against a vampire, so if Victoria was out there, I was a sitting duck. Could I sneak out to the truck and make a quick getaway? I thought I'd be able to outrun her in the truck, despite the old vehicle's speed limitations. I couldn't remember if Jake had taken the keys or not.

Maybe I could call Charlie to come and get me. He was in La Push after all. But I pushed that thought away immediately. The last thing I needed was for Victoria to get him too, to perhaps use him as a pawn as I'd thought James had done with my mom. I didn't need my dad to know about the vampires now that I'd finally given up on Edward, and I wouldn't take a chance with Charlie's life.

As if I were remembering a dream, I heard Edward's voice in my head. It wasn't the voice of my adrenaline induced fantasies, just the pale imitation from my imagination. In answer to my question about how to kill a vampire, Edward had answered with the following terse statement: _"The only way to be sure is to tear him to shreds, and then burn the pieces."_

Well, there was no way I could tear anything to shreds unless it was made of paper, but I could give the burning a shot. I'd need a little luck and some gasoline, but I thought I'd be able to use myself as bait to trap the elusive Victoria and end her miserable existence.

A plan forming in my mind, I began to think. I'd have to somehow sneak out to the shed where Jacob and I kept the bikes. I knew there were a few cans of gasoline there, and I was pretty sure I'd never light a fire in this storm unless I had some serious fuel. If I soaked some wood with the gas, I figured I could light a fire in the woods where the trees would offer some modicum of shelter from the rain. There I could make a ring of fire and stand in the middle. She'd have to go through it to get me, and vampire venom was flammable according to Edward. Even if that didn't work, maybe the wolves would at least come to investigate. I'd have to soak the wood well, so the rain wouldn't wash off the gas. I could do that in the garage. Maybe the gasoline fumes would even hide my scent from Victoria, giving me a little time.

I knew there was a store of dry firewood in the shed and that Jacob kept a tarp over it. I also knew of something he jokingly called "Native fire starters" made of cardboard egg cartons, dryer lint and wax. He'd once made us a big bonfire using them back when he, Embry and Quil still hung out regularly. He'd told me at the time that the waxy nuggets would even start fires in the rain, since the wax made them waterproof. He kept them in a pile next to the wood. So all I had to do was get to the shed without crossing Victoria's path.

I turned off all the lights in the house; although I knew Victoria would still be able to see in the dark, it made it easier for me to see outside. Nevertheless, I couldn't see anything from the grimy windows in the rainy night, and I heard no more extraneous noises. I looked around the kitchen for some matches, and finally found some in a junk drawer. Pocketing them, I got an umbrella from the hooks by the door and slowly crept outside.

The night had gotten much colder since I'd been inside, and I shivered as the wind blew the stinging rain through my sweater. My breath hung in misty puffs as I hurried across the familiar path to the bolted sheds, swinging the door open and hurriedly pulling it shut behind me, attempting to quiet the noise I was making. The shed was dark and cold, and I flipped the light on immediately.

Taking one of the five gallon gas cans from where it sat next to the door, I uncovered the wood and began pouring the fuel on to the pile. I knew my time was limited. The fire starters were right where Jacob had left them, and I thanked my lucky stars for the good fortune that had provided them.

I got another gas can and poured its contents on the wood as well, then stood staring at the pile. How would I get it all into the woods without getting it so wet it wouldn't light? Then it hit me - I'd drag it across the grass on the tarp, which I folded over the top so the wood could stay dry. With desperate hope, I tugged the bulky load, heavy with gas fumes, across the yard and into the woods as quickly as I could.

There was a clearing not far in and I aimed for that, but it was hard to find in the dark. I wanted to be as far from the house and sheds as possible, not wanting to damage any of Billy's property. Finally I found it, and hurriedly put the wood in a circle around me. I made it big, about ten feet wide in an attempt to keep myself from going up in flames as well.

The dragging and searching had given the gasoline time to soak the wood well, and I was pleased with my little plan. With fierce faith, I distributed all of Jacob's little fire starters, one for each log, until my little circle was complete. I fumbled in my pocket and extracted the box of matches, pulling one out with shaking fingers. Clenching my teeth, I hunched over the little box, struck the match and held it poised over the wood.

Behind me, a sinister hiss made the hair on my neck stand up. The match fell to the forest floor and fizzled out.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Please continue to review – to borrow a phrase from Edward, they're my own personal brand of heroin! Hope you enjoy this next chapter – a little more supernatural than previous ones, but if it wasn't a little "out there" it wouldn't be a Twilight Fanfic! As usual, I don't own Twilight, any characters, or anything else you may recognize. Thanks again for your reviews!**

CHAPTER 5

I could feel her presence and my skin crawled with horror. I whirled sharply, my eyes already adjusted to the darkness, and caught sight of her blazing red hair as she flicked away from me, an angry growl emanating from her lips.

"What's your plan, you weak little human?" she asked mockingly. "I'll crush you like a bug." Her malevolent voice swirled around me as the wind picked it up. I was confused; I couldn't tell from which direction the voice had come. Instead of even looking, I pulled out another match. With a snap, I struck it and flung it down to the ring of wood.

Instantaneously, the fire roared up, four or five feet high and completely surrounding me. I screamed, terrified; the heat and light blocked Victoria from my sight. I hadn't thought this out completely—how would I see her coming at me through the flames? But I didn't realize exactly how dangerous the flames were to her.

An unholy shriek erupted from beyond the flames, a screech of anger and defiance. "You _bitch_!" she wailed. I could see her vaguely through the inferno, trying in vain to approach the flames and jumping back furiously each time she got close. The fire blazed hotter than anything I'd ever experienced. I felt like I was in the Seventh Circle of Hell. I could smell the sickening odor of burning hair and I desperately pulled mine into a hank, shoving it down the back of my sweater. The rain offered no relief; it sizzled in the air before me, never even reaching my skin.

I thought the fire would wane, burn out, but it didn't. If anything, it seemed to grow and burn ever hotter. Sections of it blazed bright blue, hotter than hot, and I crouched in fright, huddled with my arms over my head as if this could offer any protection. Why did I think this would work?

The odor was nauseating, Victoria's screams horrendous, the fire so hot I felt my blood would boil. I realized what a mistake this had been; I was in the process of killing myself by conflagration, the worst and most painful of all death. I cowered in my pyre, praying for nothing more fervently than a speedy death.

Victoria continued to dance around the flames, gaining confidence from my terror. "That's right, you pathetic excuse for a human!" she snarled. "Burn yourself to death while I watch. I'll enjoy your pain almost as much as if I'd inflicted it myself." She cackled an ugly laugh and continued. "Perhaps I'll wait until you're just medium rare. When the fire dies down, I'll have my chance to torture you as your cowardly mate Edward punished my James."

Though my voice was choked with tears, I made a last-ditch attempt to change her mind. "Victoria," I shouted, my voice thick with smoke. "Edward left me! He doesn't want me any more! I'm not good enough for him! Your victory will be empty."

"Ha!" she cried exultantly. "You little fool! Of course you're not good enough for him. But he's not good enough for existence, so what does that say about you? When you're gone I'll bring him your hands, then slowly torture him to death as well. It will be my final triumph!"

Though my mind was concerned only with my life right now and the searing burning around me, I was sane enough to realize that the scenario she described was perfectly fine with me. Let Edward see my charred, dead hands, my fingers gnarled from my death throes. Let him see what he'd done to me. It would serve him right for leaving me so viciously, so completely.

"Good!" I screamed, tears falling faster now. "I hope you will! Show him what he's done. He deserves to see the consequences of his actions!" The words cleared my head, and I knew in that moment that, dead or alive, I'd never love Edward again. "I hate him…" I cried brokenly. "I don't care what happens to him." My voice had dropped to a tearful whisper, but Victoria's sharp ears heard me through the din of the roaring blaze. She stopped in her triumphant dance, her gleeful laughter stilled.

Suddenly, through my tears, I heard shouts and howling, and an elongated scream that cut off abruptly. My confused, smoke-addled brain couldn't put two and two together, let alone sort out the noises I heard. But when I smelled the sickly-sweet stench of burning vampire, I allowed myself to look beyond my folded arms at the flames.

To my surprise, the fire was much smaller, and the roaring had subsided to crackling snaps. I could just make out Sam, naked in the rain, throwing buckets of water on the blaze. Smoke floated up from the ground. Leah worked beside him as the five other wolves led by the largest reddish one finished off the red haired Victoria.

The section of the fire reserved for Victoria's final charring let off great clouds of deep purple smoke which billowed up into the rain and dissipated sluggishly. I stayed hunched on the forest floor, quivering in fear and revulsion. The wolves worked quickly, dragging piece after piece of Victoria's body to the blaze and tossing them in. The whole scene had a studied air, as if the animals were holding back from howling with triumph. The red wolf disengaged himself and loped over to me, his muzzle insistently prying my arms apart so he could see my face. I looked up at him with trepidation.

Before I could utter a word, Sam, Leah, and the red wolf were hastily disappearing toward the house. The other four wolves, who I assumed were Paul, Jared, Embry and Seth, continued to search for pieces of the vampire they might have missed. I heard running footsteps, and Jacob was abruptly standing in front of me wearing cutoff shorts and nothing else. He crouched down beside me, his arms going automatically around my shoulders.

"Bells, are you okay?" he asked, his voice quaking in fear. His hands brushed the hair and tears from my eyes and he looked into my face, worry apparent in every feature. "God, I thought I was going to lose you. Talk to me, are you alright?"

I burst into great wracking sobs, my chest heaving with thick tears. He gathered me up into his brawny arms and carried me through the rain to the house as I sobbed inconsolably. I was aware of the boys following us, and of Sam and Leah in the house when we arrived in the kitchen, but other than that, something in me had snapped and I couldn't stop my tears.

Sam took charge as the boys hurried past me to Jacob's bedroom, presumably to find clothes. They were back almost immediately wearing whatever they'd scrounged from Jacob's drawers; athletic shorts, sweats, cutoffs. "Put her on the couch, Jacob," Sam ordered, and Jake deposited me softly on the sofa.

Jacob knelt next to me and continued to brush hair from my face. Leah appeared with a bowl of water in which a white cloth floated. Jacob wrung it out and began wiping my face tentatively, as if he were afraid he'd hurt me. I continued sobbing uncontrollably. Seth covered me with a blanket and I realized I was shivering as I wept. "She'll need medical attention," Sam announced. "Jared, see if you can find Lee-hana."

Jared ran out the door into the rainy night dressed in only a thin pair of nylon basketball shorts, shoeless and shirtless. Jacob looked after him, worry evident in his features. Then he turned back to me, continuing his ministrations. "Bells?" he kept saying. "Bella, please talk to me. Please tell me you're okay."

I couldn't speak for the tears that were threatening to last indefinitely, but I tried to reassure him by nodding. "Get her some whiskey or something," Sam said, and Paul, who seemed to know exactly where Billy kept his booze, produced a bottle of apricot brandy and a small glass. Sam poured a tiny bit into the glass and held it to my lips. "Drink it," he said, and like I, too, was under his command, I did as I was told.

The brandy coursed through me, warming my veins and actually returning a measure of sanity to my scattered mind. I tried to touch my face, to rub away the memory, but large yellow bubbles covered my palms. Blisters. I couldn't even feel them. I stared at them uncomprehendingly, blinking back the tears that I was finally getting under control.

"Is she going to be okay, Sam?" Jacob asked, his face childlike as he looked at me.

"Bella," Sam began. "Can you talk?"

I nodded, then opened my mouth to speak. "I...I think so," I tried to say, but I couldn't hear my own voice. My throat felt seared, and I coughed spasmodically.

"More brandy," ordered Sam, and Paul held the glass to my lips again. This time I took a bigger sip, and seemed to gain some strength from the friendly liquid. "Better?" Sam asked.

I nodded and tried again. "Yes," I said. My voice came out as a raspy whisper, but at least they heard me.

Jake collapsed, his head falling on my chest as his arms clutched around my waist. "You're okay," he said, a catch in his voice.

"Bella," asked Sam with authority. "What the hell were you doing?"

I looked up at him, shaking my head, and tried to answer in as few words as possible. "She….she found me. I had to do something."

"And you felt that burning yourself alive was the proper response?" Sam was thunderous.

"I couldn't think of anything I could use against her," I said, my voice gaining strength but the tears threatening again.

"So you decided to commit suicide by fire?" asked Embry angrily.

I shook my head. "I had a plan," I said. My throat burned. I coughed again.

"This I gotta hear," mumbled Paul.

"Give her a minute to recover," Jacob growled viciously. Another sip of brandy gave me a little more energy, and I made a concerted effort to steel myself. They deserved an explanation.

"I heard her outside," I began huskily. "The only thing I could think of that would work…was fire." I swallowed, cringing at the pain. "I went to the shed and got wood. Lit it in the forest, with me as bait."

"How did you get it lit in this storm?" asked Seth.

"Gas," I croaked. "And fire starters."

"The gas probably covered her scent enough that the redhead couldn't smell her right away," Sam commented, sounding impressed. "That and the rain washing her scent away probably saved her life."

I was gaining a little more grit, and I sat up slightly. The brandy was doing its job. "I made a circle out of wood I dragged on the tarp from the shed," I told them. "I know vampire venom is flammable. I knew she wouldn't want to cross the fire. I didn't realize how hot I'd get. How dangerous it was."

Jake covered his eyes with the heels of his hands, then dragged them down his face in pure frustration. "I knew I shouldn't have left you alone," he said. "So you soaked the wood in gasoline and dragged it out to the clearing, and then you lit a fire and stood in the middle of it? You're lucky to be alive!"

Sam put a hand on Jacob's shoulder. "Enough, Jacob," he said. "She's had as much as she can take today. Actually, she did a good thing."

"_Good thing_?" Jake was incredulous.

"The redhead is dead, isn't she?" asked Sam rhetorically.

Jacob sighed deeply. "The end doesn't justify the means, Sam," he said.

"Doesn't it?" asked Sam, looking at him steadily. "Bella is alive and the vamp is dead. Seems to me it worked out in the end. Maybe she didn't go about it in the safest way, but it was effective."

I began to glow under Sam's praise, but with the increased awareness came the knowledge of pain. My hands throbbed agonizingly, and my face and ears smarted as well. My back felt like it was still on fire. I moved uncomfortably, a pained groan escaping my singed throat.

As if in answer, Jared burst through the door, soaking wet and leading a decrepit crone with long gray hair and shifting skirts, whom I assumed was Lee-hana. Her face was creased like old leather and she peered at me through crow-like eyes, darting and black.

She didn't say a word, but came over to me and placed her palms on my scalded cheeks. Her black eyes looked into mine, and she said something I didn't understand. Leah immediately brought her a glass of water.

Lee-hana fumbled beneath her skirt and produced a black cloth bag attached to her belt. Opening it, she extricated a vial of some sort of dried herb mixed with something black and withered. She poured the mess into the glass of water and held it out to me. "Drink," she said, her word short and stilted.

I pulled back, but Jake's hand behind my head stopped me. "Do what she says, Bells," he urged.

The water had turned a greenish black, and I took the glass distastefully. I glanced at Jake sideways, and he nodded, encouraging me. I drank the whole glass as quickly as I could, trying not to taste it. However, it actually wasn't as bad as I'd been expecting. It tasted like pine needles and licorice.

Lee-hana sighed, patting my cheek. She said something else in the unknown language, and Leah came around to stand in front of me.

"She wants you to come with her," she said, her eyes kind. Leah held a hand out, and pulled me to my feet. I followed them reluctantly, wondering what the old woman wanted of me.

We went into Billy's room and Lee-hana beckoned me to sit on the bed. I did, and she began to tug at the hem of my sweater. "She wants to see if you're burned anywhere besides your face and hands," explained Leah gently. I allowed the woman to raise my sweater over my head and remove it.

"Ahhh," the old woman sighed sadly, her cool hands resting on my back.

"You've got some bad burns back here, Bella," Leah said. "She's going to try putting something on them." Lee-hana fished in her pouch again and I felt a cool salve on my back. At first it stung, and I sucked air between my teeth in pain. But the agony subsided momentarily and a sweet relief spread over me, making me light-headed and causing me to sigh in content. Now if only she could quell the throbbing in my hands and face.

"Better?" asked Lee-hana in the same terse tone as before.

"Yes," I sighed. "Thank you."

"Hands," she said, holding out hers, palms up. I placed my hands in hers, watching as she examined them.

I wasn't sure why, but I felt a clearness of mind that I'd never experienced before. Everything from the past several months suddenly seemed clear as day. I loved Jake. Edward meant nothing to me. I'd clung to him like a bad habit and I could see that now. What I'd said to Victoria was true. If Edward could see what he'd done to me, wouldn't that be some sort of poetic justice? Even if he had left because he wanted to keep me safe, his brilliant plan had failed. I'd been in more danger since he left than I'd been in while we were dating. I could say goodbye to him now, and feel comfortable in the farewell.

Turning, I was able to see my face in Billy's mirror and what I saw scared me. My face was blackened and I could see that some of my hair had singed on the ends. Small blisters dotted my forehead and the tops of my ears. My hands were worse. The blisters swelled them so that they were virtually unusable. Lee-hana smeared some whitish balm on my palms, and again I felt the sting, then the soothing coolness. The blisters disappeared as if by magic, melting back down into the flesh of my palms. My eyes grew large and disbelieving, and I stared at Lee-hana as she concentrated on the burns on my face. The same thing happened on my forehead and ears, the blisters disappearing and fading back into the skin. I stared, incredulous, as I watched the blisters shrink before my eyes. The skin remaining was hard and yellow, and my sense of touch was diminished, but at least the blisters and pain were gone. I touched the skin on my palms and forehead with my fingertips, marveling in awe at the bewitching renewal.

Lee-hana said something to Leah, and Leah translated for me. "She says to keep the salve on your back covered with gauze. It should heal within three days. That skin on your hands and face will flake off in a few days. It'll be pink underneath and it'll be sensitive. She'll give you a cream to put on it. Stay out of the sun." Then, realizing what she said, she laughed shortly. "Guess that won't be too hard."

Leah stuck her head out the bedroom door and shouted for Jacob, telling him to get a t-shirt for me out of his room. My pretty green sweater was charred and blackened, and Leah balled it up, shoving it into the wastebasket in Billy's room. "You'll probably want to get rid of that skirt, too, Bella," Leah said to me.

Jacob knocked at the door, and Leah hurried to get the shirt from him as Lee-hana spread gauze over the balm on my back. Jacob asked a question of Leah quietly, and she told him to wait a few minutes. She gave me the shirt and I put it on. It smelled like Jacob, and I inhaled his woodsy aroma appreciatively. Again, I was struck by how clearly I was thinking. Just the scent of Jacob made me remember how I longed for him now. "Can Jake come in?" I croaked.

Lee-hana beckoned to Jacob. He entered the room, looking only at me. My heart soared at seeing him and it was all I could do not to hurl myself into his arms. He came and sat next to me, his face full of concern. "Are you really okay?" he asked.

I nodded. "I am now that you're here," I said. Leah and Lee-hana left the room, and Jacob put his arms around me gently.

"Does anything hurt?" he asked, looking at my hands and forehead.

"No," I said, shaking my head.

"Shit, Bells. I thought you were a goner. When I saw the fire and that redhead dancing around it, I thought for sure she'd gotten you." There were tears in his eyes, and the love I saw there was nearly overwhelming.

I tried to smile at him. "I'm still here. A little well-done maybe, but still here."

Jacob seemed to wince at my comment. "You know, I heard what that crazy vamp bitch was saying to you. Why those disgusting leeches are allowed on the face of this earth is beyond me. You have to promise me, Bella. Promise me that no matter where you are or what you do, you'll never associate with those fucking bloodsuckers again." His voice shook with emotion.

I gathered my words carefully."Jake, if you heard what she said, did you hear what I said?"

He rested his cheek on top of my head. "Yes, baby. I heard what you said too. But I was afraid to hope you meant it."

"I meant every word. I don't care what happens to him. It's a piece of my life, but that's all. It's not my _whole_ life. You…"

"Don't." Jacob looked into my eyes. "I know what you're going to say, and I can't hear it now. Just please…don't."

I was confused. Didn't Jake want to hear me tell him that I loved him? Why would anyone not want to hear that? But then I remembered how I'd felt after Edward had left me. Back when life was different and I'd felt secure in his love, I'd basked in it. But the cold realization that he didn't love me had left me broken and wrecked, lost for months. No wonder Jake didn't want to hear it. He didn't want the pain that came when the love was no longer there.

So now my mission became making Jake believe I'd love him for as long as he'd have me. How to do that, especially if I couldn't actually say the words to him? I would just have to show him, in everything I did, that I loved him and needed him and wanted him.

"Jacob, I promise," I said, thinking of his request. "I promise I'll never knowingly associate with another vampire again. I swear on my grandma's grave."

"Never?" he asked dubiously. "You're telling me that if that son of a bitch Cullen came back tomorrow, you wouldn't let him talk you into going away with him?"

I wanted to be one hundred percent certain, so I thought about it carefully. I weighed the pros and cons of the situation, mindful that this had to be the absolute truth. No more lies or half-truths. A perfect trust needed to be established between us.

On the Jacob side, there were the pros of continuing my human life, flawed as it may be. I'd be able to stay in Forks, to keep my relationships with my parents and friends, be able to be a mother and give Jacob children that we produced together. I'd be comfortable, protected, and fulfilled. I knew this because I saw how Jake loved. He loved completely and fully—nothing held back. I could go to college, graduate, get a job. Appear in public in any weather. See my mother in Florida, take my children to the beach or the park or Disney World. I'd be able to sleep. I'd be warm. And I'd get to keep my sun.

On the Edward side, there was only one pro that I could summon to my mind, and that was immortality. But what was immortality if your friends, your family were not immortal? Could I watch Charlie and Renee die while I was still young, watch Jacob age and expire, watch Mike and Jessica and all my Forks friends become old and gray? The answer to that was easy. Living forever sounds great in theory, but I knew it would be lonely. For me, there was no choice between the two. Yes, Edward's family was rich. Yes, they were beautiful. But an eternity of hiding in daylight, watching loved ones sicken and die, and never going beyond the bonds of earth was not appealing to me any more. I could let Edward go.

Jacob sat next to me on Billy's bed, watching my face as my decision solidified. I looked into his dark eyes, and I knew my face was filled with love for him as I said, "That's what I'm telling you, Jake. Never. If he came back now or if he comes back next week or next month or ten years from now, I'll never go back to him."

I could tell that there was still doubt in Jake's mind, and I honestly didn't blame him. We'd come so close to being everything to each other, but Edward had always stood in the way, an unbreachable marble edifice blocking our path. Jacob had every reason to be skeptical given our history. My job now was to prove to Jake that I was his, now and forever.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: When last we left Bella and Jacob, they were canoodling on Billy's bed, discussing Bella's brave vampire episode. She's feeling better because of the drink and salve Lee-hana gave her, so keep that in mind as you read this chapter. I know it's short, but the upcoming one is worth the wait, I think. As usual, I don't own Twilight, any characters, or anything else you may recognize. Keep reviewing (I always try to answer personally, but if you don't have PMs on then I can't) – and thanks for reading.**

CHAPTER 6

We sat together on Billy's bed, his arms around me and my head resting on his chest, for what seemed like hours. We said nothing, just held each other, lost in our own thoughts. After what seemed like a long while, there was a tentative knock at the door and we heard Sam's voice.

"Are you two okay?" he asked.

Jacob grunted out a little laugh. "We're fine, Sam," he answered.

"It's getting late," Sam said.

Jacob sighed and stood, pulling me to my feet as well. I felt like I'd been through a war. I needed to sleep, to rest my weary mind. He slung his arm across my shoulders and involuntarily, I pulled away a little. My back was still sensitive to touch although the pain was gone.

"Oooh, sorry," Jake said, taking his arm off my shoulders. "Forgot about your burns." His palm ran down my arm to and he took my hand, weaving our fingers together. He stopped walking toward the door and looked down at me smiling.

"That shirt looks better on you than me. You can have it," he commented, pulling me once again toward the door.

When he opened it, Sam stood looking at us, taking in my tousled clothing and hair and giving Jake a meaningful look. Jake's eyes tightened and he shook his head once. "Back off, Sam," he said.

Sam held up both hands, palms out, in an expression of surrender. "What'd I say?" he protested.

"I don't like the look you're giving us," Jacob snapped.

"Easy, Jake," Sam said. "Calm down and take the girl home. We've still got the funeral to worry about."

I didn't know why Jacob was getting so upset. Sam had only looked at us and to me, his expression didn't imply anything. But to Jake it seemed to be an affront. He glared at Sam, his demeanor angry.

"Come on, Jake. I'm so tired," I said, pulling on his hand. I was trying to avoid a fight, but I also wanted to get home.

Jake turned away from Sam and I noticed that everyone else had gone home. Sam followed behind us and finally said quietly, "Jacob, can I talk to you for a minute?"

We were right by the back door, so Jake told me to go out to the car. The odor of burning vampire still hung heavy in the air giving me a nearly tangible sense of relief. I'd helped eliminate the fearsome Victoria. I was Bella, the Vampire Slayer!

I waited patiently in the truck, but it didn't take Jacob long to join me. "Pack stuff," he said by way of explanation as he climbed behind the wheel. "But he also said that Sue asked Charlie to stay with her again. And Sam wants me to stay with you, just in case there're any effects from the fire. Is that okay with you?"

"I'll call Charlie and ask if it's okay," I said, but he shook his head.

"It's already taken care of. In fact, Charlie went home and got his stuff, so he won't be home tomorrow until after the funeral lunch. Sam cleared it with Charlie already. He told him you were spooked and needed company. Charlie was okay with it."

"Wow, really?" I was amazed that Sam had done that for me. But then I realized that he was doing it for Sue and for Jacob. Still, I was reaping the benefits. So, another night with Jacob in my room. This time if I had anything to say about it, he'd be in my bed and not my rocking chair.

We rode together in silence. I was apprehensive about having him stay over, especially after the conversation about my virginity last night. Though I knew that I loved Jake, I wasn't sure if I was ready for _that_ yet. If it would prove to him that I loved him, would I go through with it? But I wasn't sure I wanted to be _that_ girl, the girl who proved her love by going all the way with her boyfriend. I could prove my love for Jake without sex…right?

Jacob was quiet too. There was tension in the car, and I could tell we were both feeling a little uncomfortable about the upcoming night. "Sooo…," Jacob began. "You want me to sleep in the rocking chair again?"

I looked at him, my face tense. He looked both hopeful and worried. His dark brows were raised questioningly, but his eyes held a wish for something more. I forced a little laugh. "You can be the big spoon," I said, "as long as you promise…no funny stuff. I still want to be a virgin in the morning."

"You really think that's a good idea, Bells? Sleep in the same bed and try not to do anything? I think we're kind of tempting fate. I should probably sleep in the chair."

"I heard what you said about how uncomfortable that chair is," I said. "I think if we make a promise to each other, we can handle it."

Jake looked at me, his face softening. He smiled. "You have a lot of faith in me, and I really like that, but I don't know if I trust myself."

"I trust you," I said, and I meant it. "You'd never do anything to hurt me, Jake. You love me, right? You wouldn't do anything that I didn't want, would you?"

"Never," he answered without hesitation. There was a pause. "You know I love you."

I wouldn't say what I wanted to say; that I loved him too. Every time I tried to say it, he stopped me. I hoped that would change soon, but until then I wouldn't push it. "Ok," I said. "So I know you won't do something I don't want you to do."

Jake laughed uncomfortably. "Bells, the problem is I don't trust myself not to try to convince you that you _do _want it."

Now it was my turn to laugh. "Do you really think you're so convincing?" I asked coyly, taking his hand.

A lopsided grin lit up the car and his eyebrows shot up as he concentrated on the road ahead of him. "Hell, yeah," he said, and I laughed harder. "You don't know what you're up against."

"Maybe I should check with some of the members of your fan club, huh?" I asked him.

"You never know," he said, looking at me sideways.

"You kill me, Jacob Black," I said, shaking my head.

He laughed loudly, filling the car with his guffaws. I could feel the electric sexual tension buzzing around inside the truck, and it both excited me and made me a little wary. No guy had ever tried to convince me to make love with him, and I wasn't sure of my resolve. Could I withstand a begging, beautiful Jacob asking me to make him feel good? Offering to make me feel good too? I wasn't sure, but the enticing draw of sleeping in a bed with this incredibly gorgeous boy was almost overwhelming.

We were at my house now, and he got out and ran around the truck to open the door for me. His excitement was contagious, but I was nervous, too. He pulled me out of the car and up the front walk, opening the door as he had the previous night. Was that only yesterday?

The sinister darkness of the previous night was gone, and instead the house seemed like a sanctuary. This time when I turned on Charlie's chairside lamp, it threw the room into a soft, sexy ambiance. I looked up into Jake's face, and he smiled down at me. "How about it? You want to watch some TV tonight?" he asked.

"Are you serious?" I asked. "I'm exhausted. Bed. Now," I said.

"Okay," Jake answered, and up the stairs we went.

I gathered my bathroom stuff and my ratty sweats so as not to tempt Jacob more than he would be already. I showered, the charred smell washing off my hair in the steamy atmosphere. I quickly changed and got ready for bed with a little less emphasis on my looks than last night. I felt a lot better after the shower, and wondered if my clarity of mind and extra energy came from the drink Lee-hana had given me.

When I got back to my room, he was ensconced at the computer desk again, munching on a bag of cookies he'd obviously swiped from my kitchen. There was also a tall glass of milk on the computer desk. He was again looking at Facebook.

"Help yourself to any snacks," I said sarcastically.

"Fanks, I will," he said around a mouthful of cookies. He continued eating, gulping the milk, and browsing the web as I busied about, straightening my room up a little. I picked up all the dirty clothes and deposited them in the hamper, fluffed my pillows, and turned down the bed.

Finally Jake was finished with his bedtime snack of cookies and milk, and he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he stood up. "You got an extra toothbrush lying around?" he asked.

"Look under the bathroom sink," I told him. "There should be a pack of new ones in there." I was still a little nervous, but it was just Jacob. He wouldn't try anything super crazy…would he?

He ambled off toward the bathroom and I decided to creep on his Facebook page. There again was the collection of chicks (I couldn't bring myself to call them girls) and all their vacuous comments. They referred to him as "Hottie," the ridiculous "SexyMan" as if he were some sort of super hero, and of course "Jakey." I found myself getting angry as I paged through his wall until I realized it wasn't anger at all. Jacob was right. I was jealous. In my fit of resentful envy, I decided to post something, just to get back at the inane waifs clamoring for his attention. I switched to my page, friend requested him, accepted the request from his page, and entered a wall post.

"Being in your arms last night was awesome. And I can't wait for tonight - my bed's all warm and ready!" There. That should shut up Tori, Katrina, and any other interested parties. He's mine, ladies.

I posted it and shut down the computer immediately, so I wouldn't have time to change my mind, and then crawled under the covers. Jake wandered back in a few minutes later wearing only a towel, his hair dripping. I nearly had a seizure when he whipped the towel off, but underneath he wore basketball shorts he must have brought with him. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"You shut down the computer?" he asked, looking over at the desk. "I was checking Facebook."

"It's updating," I lied.

"Okay," he shrugged. He crawled into bed with me, only this time he faced me. "Hi," he said, smiling.

"Hi," I answered, matching his grin.

"You tired?" he asked, grabbing my hand and holding it up to his mouth. He kissed the back of my fingers.

"I'm gonna be out for the count in about three seconds here," I said.

"Wanna bet?" he said with a playful grin. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Jake, yesterday I nearly drowned. Today I almost burned to death. You think maybe I need to get some sleep?"

His voice dropped to a whisper and his face changed. The fire in his eyes was unmistakable as he said, "We might never get a chance like this again, Bells. And you want to sleep it away?"

When he put it like that, I almost couldn't resist him. Almost. He saw my hesitation and continued. "Come on, baby, we've got all night to sleep. It's not that late. We could at least…have a little fun."

I had to admit, he was persuasive. His eyes drew me in as the heat from his body called me closer. Though I could still feel the burns on my back, for some reason I was chilled unless he was touching me. When he'd grabbed my hand, his incredible warmth flowed into me, making me want to give him whatever he wanted. I felt so warm and happy with him in my bed. What could possibly be wrong about it?

"What do you have in mind?" I asked. To my embarrassment, my voice shook as if I were in a cold wind. Or a warm bed with Jake, about to do something I might regret.

"Nothing you wouldn't want to do. All you have to do is tell me to stop and I'll stop," he said, his eyes watching mine carefully for any reaction.

I swallowed once, like I was getting ready to take a big leap. Was I going to hate myself tomorrow, or would I have the resolve to stop him if he went too far? I was so confused. But this was Jake, my sun, my warmth. Even if we did … go all the way, would it be so wrong? Would giving my virginity to this incredible boy ever be something I'd be remorseful over?

But we didn't have to go _all _the way. There were steps, right? It made no sense to jump all the way in when we'd barely gotten our toes wet so far. Maybe just a taste…

For the first time, I put my arms around Jacob's neck and pulled his face toward mine. As our lips brushed together, I felt a twisting deep in my core. His mouth was warm, soft, and most of all, yielding. This wasn't the stone cold, hard, firm mouth of Edward, forcing my lips to comply with his, to bend to his will. Jake and I were equals. I kissed him softly at first, then with a growing urgency. I could feel his heart pounding beneath his skin and mine matched his beat for beat.

Tentatively, I opened my mouth a tiny bit. This was all the invitation Jake needed. The hot tip of his tongue slid between my lips, swirling softly to taste…me. His breath panted erratically, and I lay back on the pillow as he bent over me, one hand flat on the bed holding him hovering above me, the other tangled in my hair.

Something sounding suspiciously like a whine came from my lips as he pulled back for a second. "Hang on, Bells," he said huskily, adjusting his position. I slid down under him, my legs parting naturally just to give him some room. He settled himself between them, facing me, over me. His eyes snapped with excitement.

Ahh, this was better. This worked just fine. My hands were free to hold him, to feel his amazing body, and his weight and heat on top of me made me feel welcome and protected. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pulled him in again for more. More of the amazing, hot kisses. More of his sweet, warm tongue in my mouth.

He pulled at my shirt and said breathlessly, "Why are you wearing this crappy sweatshirt?" A little smile played at the corners of his mouth. I lifted my shoulders once in a shrug, and he let out a little laugh. "Want to get it out of the way?" he asked.

Something like fear clenched in my stomach, and I think Jake felt my hesitation, because he backtracked immediately. "I just thought maybe you were hot or something," he said.

"I'm not wearing anything underneath," I said, so quiet I was afraid he might not have heard me. He didn't answer. After a moment, I did think I felt a little warm. I was pressed right up against Jake, his 108 degree body heating me up in more ways than one.

"Maybe you could just take off the pants," he suggested. "You've got…uh, panties on, right?"

"Okay," I said in a small voice. I'd never really been this far with Edward. I mean, sure, we'd made out while I was wearing shorts, but this was somehow different. Or was it? I mean, really, it was more than I'd be wearing if I had a swimsuit on. This was ok, I thought.

I shimmied the sweat pants down, lifting up off the bed to get them completely off. I felt completely unclothed lying there underneath him in just my panties and a short-sleeved, holey sweatshirt. But the reaction I got from Jake was worth it.

He moaned against my neck as he felt my bare legs next to his. His kisses devoured me, forcefully sucking my breath away. His hands went to my butt, grasping it tightly toward him, pulling my parted legs up past his hips. We were suddenly in the proper position for sex, and it felt incredible. Like last night, his hardness pushed insistently into my flesh, only this time he was right…there.

"Jake, wait a second," I panted, pulling my mouth away from his. He backed off, his breath quick and hot. His eyes were eager.

"What's wrong, Bells?" he asked, unquenched yearning in his voice.

"Hold on. You're…you're going too fast," I managed.

He swallowed, his eyes closing and his breath coming out in a long, exasperated sigh through his nose. He was either completely pissed off or trying to get hold of himself. I waited, transfixed on his face, as he seemed to gain composure. But when his eyes opened, it wasn't the sunny boy who awaited me. It was the man I associated with the pack, Sam's second - the wolf.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: You guys are all so awesome, thanks for all the support! It really means a lot; you have _no_ idea!**

**Sorry, I had to gush a little. I love this chapter and I hope you guys will like it too. There's more Jake and Bella, which we all love, right? And no cliffhanger, so I'm sure there won't be as much begging to update. I'm trying to stay one chapter ahead, so 8 is now written and I'm starting 9. I have the whole story worked out, and I think the end will come together nicely, but getting there is half the fun-you know that! Keep reading and reviewing, I love love love to hear from you guys!**

CHAPTER 7

My heart clutched in terror. He wouldn't phase now, would he? Was this too much for him? Maybe I should give in, give the wolf what he wanted. I'd seen Emily and what had happened to her, and that was just when she was standing too close. She hadn't been lying under Sam in bed. He could honestly rip me apart!

"Jacob," I said shakily. "Are you okay?"

"Give me a second," he nearly growled.

I was stunned into silence. I held completely still, afraid to even move for fear I'd trigger something horrendous. My hands were frozen on his biceps, my hips stilled beneath his. I could still feel his persistent erection exactly where I didn't want it, but I didn't move. I didn't even breathe.

Jacob struggled to get himself under control. Finally he took a deep breath and I could see the wolf start to disappear. "Ok, Bella, that was partly my fault," he said, the growling tone gone.

_Partly?_ I thought in my mind, but out loud I said, "It was my fault, Jake. I shouldn't have let it go that far."

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I should have known what would happen. I thought I had it under control."

"What?" I cried, incredulous. "You mean you had an idea something like this could happen?" The look on his face made me swallow my words. He was still on edge and I didn't want to push him.

He looked at me, his eyes large. I couldn't tell if he was angry or scared. Maybe he was a little of both. But as I watched, he was able to rein the wolf in, and the look of fearsome anger disappeared from his face. "Baby, I'm sorry," he said. "I really thought I had it under control. I…I just feel like…I need you so much right now."

"I know," I said, moving my hands from his arms to his face. I let my fingertips trace his cheekbones. "I feel the same way."

"You do?" he said, his eyes as intense as I'd ever seen them.

"I do," I said. "But I don't think we should."

"Why not?" he asked, sounding like nothing so much as a little boy being denied dessert.

"Jake, it's just not a good idea right now. You won't even let me tell you that I…" I stopped. He'd interrupted me so many times that I was expecting him to do it again. I looked at him, silent.

"That you what? That you love me?" he asked.

"Yes!" I said, on the verge of tears. "I want to say it to you, but you won't even let me. How can I let you love me when you won't even let me tell you that I do?"

"You already told me, Bells," he said quietly, looking down at the sheets.

"_When?"_ I demanded, the tears spilling over.

He looked uncomfortable. "Last night," he said. "You told me last night. While you were asleep. And I couldn't hear you say it again while you were…conscious…because I was afraid you'd change your mind. Qualify it somehow. Tell me that you love me, but. But you couldn't be with me, but I wasn't good enough, but you'd never love me the way I love you."

"What did I say?" I whispered, mortified at what might have been said. I stared off to the side, past his shoulder, unable to look at him.

His hand came up from beside my face and he put a finger under my chin. He pulled my face straight so I wasn't looking off to the side, and said, "Look at me, Bella."

Unwillingly, I looked back into his face. "What are you embarrassed about?" he asked softly.

"I want to know what I said," I told him. "I…don't want it to be anything…bad."

He smiled, his finger still under my chin. "How could it be bad?" he asked, his voice gentle.

"What if I said something stupid, or you thought it was funny when it was serious, or something like that?" I said pleadingly.

"Bella, you said the words I waited to hear for over a year. There was no way I was laughing at it or thinking it was stupid, honey."

"But what did I say exactly?" I persisted.

He hesitated for a moment, seeming to consider whether he should tell me or not. Then he looked down and smiled, as if at a pleasant memory. "You wouldn't settle down last night," he began. "First you kept saying things like, 'Lost,' and, 'Help.' But then you started to say sentences. Some crazy talk about black water or something. And then you said it. 'Jake, come back, I love you.' You said it more than once, clear as a bell." His face was elated as he told the story. "It was all I could do to stay in that fucking chair. I wanted to jump in bed with you right then. I could have…I could've done what we were about to do a minute ago. Right then. That's how I felt, Bells. Like my heart would explode. Even though it was the day Harry died, it was the best day of my life."

I saw the passion in his eyes as he described it, and my heart warmed. If there ever was a question in my mind that Jacob loved me, it was gone.

I decided to try again. My heart pounded as I confessed to him, "Jacob, I do love you. There's no condition to it. I love you. I think I've loved you for a long time, I just didn't realize it. But now, I finally know and you know what, Jake?" He stared into my eyes, hanging on my every word. He'd actually let me say it, and I was going to get everything out before he stopped me. "I love the way you make me feel. Because no matter what happens, I know you love me."

He leaned over me, his lips brushing mine. "God, I do, baby. I really do. And Bella, I want you so bad."

In this position, with him poised over me and his bare chest pressing up against me, I wanted him too. I felt a twist of desire in my lower belly just thinking of what could come next. Almost involuntarily, I rolled my hips up against him, a whine of pleasure escaping. In response, the hardness that had been slightly subsiding came back in full force. The moan that came from deep in his throat served only to arouse me further. He dropped down upon me, his lips hungrily, greedily kissing mine.

He suddenly seemed to gather himself, to realize what we were doing and he pulled away, leaving me gasping and confused. "Baby, we can't do this."

This time it was me who sounded like a child. "Why not?" I whined.

He hesitated for a moment, looking straight into my soul. "Because…I can't. I just can't."

Rejection washed over me while a sharp pain, the precursor to tears, shot across my nose. My eyes were suddenly full again, and I turned away so he couldn't see how hurt I was. I'd told him I loved him, and his response was to stop me from showing it.

"Aw, honey, please," he begged, cupping my chin and turning my face toward his. "Please don't cry. I just want this to be…something special. When it's right."

"It's right _now_," I whispered, tears falling back into my ears.

"No, we're caught up in the moment. This is something special, Bells, and I want our first time to be important. It's for both of us."

I was confused. The way Jake had talked before, last night when he'd asked me if I was a virgin, I assumed he had…experience. Now it sounded like the opposite was true. I looked at him, my eyebrows coming together in bewilderment. "But the way you talked last night…about your fan club…?" I managed.

He let out a humorless laugh. "Yeah?" he said, abruptly cocky."What about my fan club?"

"You gave me the impression you have a lot of…skill," I said hesitantly.

"Skill? Like what, Bells? You think I'm a _playa_?" He purposely pronounced the word in a ghetto way, and in spite of myself I laughed.

"Yes," I spluttered.

"Aw, baby," he said gently. "No. It's…it's always been you. It's only been you."

"_Only_ me?" I asked. "Then why did you talk like that last night?"

"Like what?" he asked, his eyebrows meeting in confusion.

"Like you knew what you were talking about. Like you knew…what it was like. Going all the way."

"Jeez, Bells," he said, ducking his head. I stared at him until he looked up. "Whaddya think?"

"I don't know!" I said, completely at a loss.

He huffed a disbelieving laugh. "I'm the _guy_, Bells!" he said. "I have to make it look like I'm the experienced one, right? I mean, I really thought you and your vamp had been doing the nasty for months. I didn't want to look like I didn't know what I was doing." His face was bright red as he admitted the lie.

I shook my head, staring him straight in the eye.

"And plus…," he stuttered."Y'know, I'm like…younger than you. Sometimes I feel like a kid around you. I had to make like I was, y'know…a man of the world."

"A _playa_?" I asked, a smile breaking through.

This time his laugh was genuine. "Yeah," he admitted.

"Jake, you don't have to pretend for me. I want to be able to trust you, okay? And if you want to know the truth, there's something about you that has nothing to do with sex that makes me feel like a little kid sometimes. I think it's because you make me feel like I don't have to worry about things. Like my life with you is so…so safe."

"Really?" he asked me, his face going pink all over again. "I love that. I want to protect you, Bells. I want to keep you safe. There's just something about you."

"Yeah," I said wryly. "I tend to bring that out in people." I was thinking of Edward and how he always had the need to shelter me from everything, so much so that I'd felt stifled. _"You can't go to the city by yourself, Bella. You can't walk into the forest by yourself, Bella. You're too young/stupid/vulnerable to do anything alone, Bella." _Maybe he'd never said those things in so many words, but that's the way he'd come across. So why did Jacob just make me feel young and carefree, while Edward made me feel jailed?

I looked up at Jake and realized he could see the change in my face. I was thinking of Edward, and he could tell. A bitter mask came over his features, and he suddenly pulled away from me. "What's that mean?" he asked viciously.

"Jacob, calm down," I said, reaching for him and pulling him back to me. He unwillingly allowed me to drag him closer, but I could tell he wasn't happy. "What's wrong?"

"You weren't thinking of me just now," he said.

"How can you tell?"

"Your face…changed," he answered shortly.

"You know what I was thinking, Jake?" I asked, my hand curling around the back of his neck. He swallowed, watching me carefully. "That you make me feel secure, and that Edward made me feel like I was in prison. And both of you say it's protection. And how different the protection can be." I smiled up at him.

He shook his head lightly, like he thought I was nuts. "That's because Cullen had no faith in you. He didn't see that you're strong all by yourself. He was too busy looking at your weaknesses to ever see your strengths. I mean…" He hesitated for a second, licking his lips. "Do you think you'd ever have been able to pull your little fire stunt tonight if Eddie'd been around?"

I was stunned. "God, you're right. There's no way Edward would've let me out of his sight long enough to do anything like that. But tonight, when we left your place, I felt amazing. Like Bella the Vampire Slayer!" I laughed.

"It reminds me of an old Native story Billy and my mom used to tell us at bedtime. It was about a little boy who found a baby bird. He loved the bird, but he didn't want it to grow because then it would leave him and fly away. So every night he squeezed it so it wouldn't grow. But one night he squeezed it too hard, and the baby bird died. You have to let what you love grow, Bells. Look how strong you were when you had to be!"

I lay there thinking of what he'd said. I was strong, but Edward didn't want me to be or didn't trust me to be. The more I thought about it, the more I knew that being with Edward had been unhealthy for me.

Jake lay back on the pillow and stared up at the ceiling with me. "I always knew you could handle yourself, Bells. Ever since you were a little kid and you put up a huge fight with Charlie one day because you didn't want to go fishing. Damn, I'd never stand up to my dad, let alone Charlie, the big police chief, like you did." He smiled fondly at the memory. "I think that's when I really fell in love with you. Sassy little thing, all pissed off. Screaming your head off at your dad, telling him you hated fishing and it was gross and you didn't even like fish."

I laughed. "I said all that?" I asked, disbelieving.

"Yep," he said. "You went toe to toe with your old man, and he backed down. Craziest thing I ever saw. I was in awe of you from that day on. Bella Swan, a weakling? No way."

I giggled, the image of me as a kid cracking me up. "Charlie was always such a scary guy to me when I was little," Jacob reminisced. "I mean, here he is, all shiny and everything, a badge, a gun, a leather jacket and boots. To a little boy, he was like the ultimate badass."

I laughed. Charlie could be described as a lot of things, but 'badass' wasn't one that immediately jumped to my mind.

"I'm serious!" Jake insisted. "He was the definitive cool dude. Plus he was friends with my dad, so that was a pretty big deal itself. Weren't you impressed by your dad's friends when you were a kid?"

"I guess I didn't give it a lot of thought," I said.

"Maybe it's more of a boy thing," he admitted. "But people like Charlie and Harry…I was scared of those guys as a kid."

At the mention of Harry, we both became quiet. "What was Harry like?" I asked.

"All I know is that he was a great fisherman, an awesome dad, and an amazing friend to my dad. Great cook too. He was a lot of fun. He knew more jokes than anyone I've ever met. And he'd tell us, the kids, the dirty ones but he'd use code words for the cuss words." Jake laughed at the thought. "Man, he really was a great dad for Leah and Seth. Their house was, like, the best place to be as a kid. Sue always had homemade cookies and brownies and stuff, and Harry was a barrel of laughs. Even though we were all scared of him, we had more fun over there."

The feeling the boys had for Harry and my dad was probably more one of respect, but in Jacob's memory, as a six or seven year old, the perception of his childish mind at the time had been fear. Still, I loved listening to these memories of his, especially since I hadn't known Harry very well.

"It's great that you have some nice memories of him," I said.

Jake turned back toward me, his arms going around my shoulders and pulling me close. "Yeah," he agreed, his face nuzzling into my neck. I adjusted so that my head was on his shoulder, one leg slung over both of his. I didn't care anymore that my sweat pants were off. The feelings that had fueled our passion were not as insistent anymore. His hand traced soothing little circles on my tender back. It felt nice.

Suddenly Jacob was businesslike. "So this…thing we've got going. What are we gonna do about this?" he asked, tucking his chin into his neck so he could look down at me.

"Thing?" I said, confused.

"Our relationship, if that's what it is," he said.

"Um, Jake, I think it's pretty obvious that it's a relationship. We're lying in bed together half-dressed."

"Don't remind me," he groaned, his lips finding mine again. His hand slid along my waist, down down down until he was at the leg elastic of my panties. My breathing hitched, and his hand stopped but didn't leave my skin.

His kiss became more insistent and his tongue swirled into my mouth, hot and sweet. He pulled back, his teeth dragging my bottom lip with him. A gasp escaped my mouth as he licked the delicious hurt away.

"So," he continued as if nothing happened. "What are we going to do about our relationship?"

I was gasping, but I tried to match his jovial tone. "Why do we have to _do_ anything about it?" I asked.

His mouth dropped onto mine again, his hand continuing upwards until it was at the hem of my sweatshirt. Agonizingly slow, his fingertips pushed under the material until they were hot against my hip bone. I responded by eagerly kissing him, my lips leaving his and following a line along his stubbly jaw. I'd never noticed the peach fuzz there, but right this minute it nearly made me swoon. This was no boy; I was in bed with a man. The realization caused me to return to his mouth with increased fervor, sucking at his lips and running the tip of my tongue along their rims.

I could feel his hardness pressing against my upper thigh, and obligingly I rubbed across it, at the same time pressing my center against his leg. There was a quick intake of breath as his hand suddenly moved a little quicker, until it was resting on my ribcage. It clutched at my skin, his nails scraping enticingly across the soft flesh.

"Jesus, Bells," he rasped against my open mouth. I quickly covered his lips with mine again, my tongue becoming bolder as I explored him. His hand, hot as a brand, moved slowly again ever upward until the tips of his fingers were just below my left breast. They moved across the underside in little half-moons, making my breath still. I stopped kissing. I just wanted to feel this.

His hand stopped and he pulled his head back, continuing the conversation as if it hadn't been interrupted. "So since we're like…boyfriend and girlfriend now, should I give you some token of our love?" he asked. A little grin threatened to break across his face. "Like my jacket or my ring or something?"

Did he realize how frustrating this was? Had he any clue what he was doing to me? I was panting, my mind clouded, every single nerve on edge, and he was asking questions as if we were having a phone conversation! I wanted to scream. How did he do that?

"Yeah," I gasped. "Whatever you think." I dove back in as if to kiss him but he continued.

"Okay, I was thinking I'd give you one of my carvings. You could wear it on a chain around your neck."

"Great," I said quickly, going in for the kiss again.

"So do you want to see it?" he asked.

"Sure, sure," I said in a perfect imitation of him. "In a few minutes."

He chuckled darkly. "Why not right now?" he asked.

"Ugh! Jake!" I said in frustration.

His lips went to my ear. "What'sa matter, baby? Getting a little…hot?" he whispered, his breath making me shiver. His hand moved up so that his fingertips were just below my nipple. He stretched them up until one was actually touching it, then clutched his hand, dragging his nail across the sensitive flesh. I moaned in response.

"You like that?" he continued to whisper. I nodded feverishly. He kissed my earlobe, pulling it into his mouth and sucking on it as breath escaped from his nose in a long, "Mmmmmm." Meanwhile his fingers finally moved up enough so that they were grasped around my breast, my nipple in his palm. He did something with his hand…there, he did it again…where the center of his palm clutched around my nipple, sending the most exquisite feeling right down to my …

"Oh my God, Jake, you're driving me crazy!" I choked.

His face was suddenly all I could see as it swam before my eyes. "Want me to fix that?" he asked rhetorically.

Moaning a high-pitched squeal in the back of my throat, I grasped him around the neck and pulled him down on my mouth, wanting to consume him. His hand was still in my shirt as his lips kissed me softly, sweetly. Nothing like the passion from a moment ago.

He put his lips next to my ear again and I stilled, listening. "Baby, I could do this. I could make you feel so good, but I want to wait. Let's just…y'know, enjoy the early days, huh?"

I couldn't believe my ears. What? Stop this _now_? When I was so worked up?

But after a second of thought I knew that Jake, though he was younger than me and a boy to boot, was right in this case. After all, we'd had a couple of really insane days. We both needed a little break from the intensity. And though we weren't going to actually stop the early relationship steamroller, we didn't need to heap more drama on an already emotional situation.

_And it's not only you who's worked up_, I told myself. _Stop being so selfish. He's got a hard on for you too. And he's being the voice of reason. _

I took a deep breath and looked into the eyes of the man I loved. "You're something else, you know that, Black?" I asked.

"That's what they tell me," he grinned.

We slept finally, twined together, secure and safe and warm. It was the best night's sleep I'd had in my life.

**What did you think? Reviews, pretty please?**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hello, all! Well, things have gotten a little hairy overnight for our favorite couple. Prepare for a little angst, a little regret, and a little nastiness. This chapter and the next (and maybe the next) will be a little dark. Thanks so much for all the reviews, both good and bad. I'd like to be able to answer everyone, but in some cases I am unable to. So, to notashamedtobe, Lady-Isowen, TeamSethLover, MissRainLover, and jayley, thanks for your reviews - I appreciate any feedback and you all are awesome for reviewing. **

******I do not own Twilight, any characters, or anything else you might recognize.**

CHAPTER 8

I was interrupted out of a blissful slumber by Jake's phone vibrating in the pocket of his shorts, which were pressed against my back. He was the big spoon again, and his arms held me fast around my waist as I struggled to reach back and stop the incessant buzzing. I finally got the annoying thing and pulled it up to my face so I could see who was calling. Paul.

"Hi, Paul," I said quietly, trying not to wake Jacob. "What time is it?"

"Who's this?" he asked, an obvious smile in his voice. "Bella?"

"Yeah, what time is it?" I repeated.

"Time for you to get out of bed with Jake. Is he there?"

"He's right here," I said, exasperated. I turned to Jake and his hand automatically went out for the phone. It was 8:30; I could see as Jake took the phone what the time on the screen said.

"H'lo?" Jake mumbled. There was a pause. "What? No!" he said, fully awake now. "Funny, Paul," he said angrily. "Come on, you gotta be kidding." Pause. "Yeah, we're still going. Whatever. Yeah, thanks for the heads up." He said the last sentence with evident sarcasm. What was wrong?

He pressed the 'End' button and got abruptly out of bed, going over to the computer desk and booting it up. "What the hell?" he said under his breath. The computer took its time waking up, and as it did, worry plucked at me.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, scared of the answer.

"Paul says there's something weird on my Facebook wall," he said, extremely angry.

My heart dropped onto the floor. Shit! I'd forgotten all about my little Facebook message. Great, now it was probably all over the reservation. Jake's sleeping with some paleface slut. What had I been thinking?

But even as I thought it, I knew. I was sick of those girls throwing themselves at my boyfriend. And he _was_ mine, make no mistake. Those chicks needed to seriously back off. I mean, I didn't want to be one of those girlfriends who dictated who her boyfriend could hang out with, but … well, maybe I did want to be one of those girlfriends.

The computer finally played its little "ta-da!" wave, and Jake logged on to the internet. He immediately pulled up Facebook and scrolled through the usual crap that was on everyone's page; birthday notifications, friend requests, photos - until he got to my post. Which he read out loud. "'Being in your arms last night was awesome. And I can't wait for tonight - my bed's all warm and ready!'" He turned to look at me, his face disbelieving. "Bells? Did you do this?"

Was he mad? I really didn't want him to be mad. But didn't he understand? Those chicks were staking a claim on him, and he wasn't theirs to claim.

"Are you pissed?" I asked meekly. Just then, my ringtone trilled through the room. I jumped out of bed and got it off my dresser before it could ring again. It was Jessica.

"Jess?" I said, answering it.

"Oh my God, Bella! Are you like totally doing the horizontal bop with…  
Jacob Black?" I knew Jake could hear her, and I pulled the phone away from my ear to protect it from her screeching. He was staring daggers at me. I put the phone back to my ear, turning around so I was facing away from him.

"Jess, let me call you back," I said quietly.

"Oh my God, he's _there_, isn't he?" she squeaked, but I had already hung up.

When I turned back around, Jake was standing in front of me, and I was face to face with his broad chest. "You want to tell me what this is all about?" he asked carefully.

I took a deep breath. "You didn't answer my question. Are you mad?"

Though his hands shook visibly, he answered in a controlled, quiet voice. "I don't _like_ it. I don't know if I'd say I was actually mad. So…do you want to tell me what it's all about?"

"Well," I began, trying to draw it out and think of something good. "Um, you were looking at Facebook…and um." I took another breath. "I'm sorry, Jake! I just don't like those girls! They're all over you like a cheap suit! It's truly disgusting."

Jake made a face as if he'd tasted something awful. "Disgusting? I think you might be taking that a little too far. It's just harmless fun. They're friends."

I looked up at him. "Tell me something, Jake," I said, finding my voice finally. "What would _you_ think? If you saw pictures of me online that showed me with tons of guys, with guys making comments under my pictures hinting that they want to have sex with me? How would you feel?"

He looked down, suddenly very interested in his hands. "I wouldn't like it," he said, not making eye contact.

"Let me tell you how I feel when I see it. You think I'm jealous? Hell, yes, I'm jealous. _I_ want to be the one holding your hand in the hall. _I_ want to be the one who's having fun with you. And I sure as hell don't want to see a bunch of pretty girls crowding around you, making inappropriate comments about your body."

"You're jealous?" he said, finally looking down at me, his eyes softening.

"Yes!" I said, exasperated.

He stepped forward, putting his arms around me. I laid my head on his chest, listening to his heart beating, only going a little fast. "Bells," he said, and his voice rumbled through his chest to my ear. "Those girls aren't pretty compared to you. That's like…like saying that hamburger is as good as filet mignon. Yeah, they're both from a cow, but…" He broke off, a laugh ending his sentence.

"Are you calling me a cow?" I asked jokingly.

"No, you're more like a lion. Ferocious. God forbid anyone come near your mate." I swear, I could almost _hear_ his eyes rolling.

"Yeah, that's right, no one better come near my mate." I pulled his face down to mine and planted a kiss on his surprised lips. "You're mine, Black. Don't forget it."

"Okay, okay," he said, his mouth against mine as he returned the kiss. He straightened up. "But now that's out there. I don't know if I like stuff like that on the internet about my girl. Even if my girl did write it."

"So take it down," I shrugged, shivering with pleasure at his use of the phrase 'my girl.'

"Yeah, that's a good idea," he agreed, turning back to the computer table. I followed him over there and stood behind him as he scrolled to the comment. _Oh, shit._

There were 46 comments under the post. I could only see the last five or six, but they all seemed to have the same gist. "Bella Swan, you dirty little whore J!" Lauren had written. Paul's comment was somehow worse, "Hope ur PREPARED Black-save some for the rest of us."Only Seth's comment was kind: "Great for you two!" Leave it to Seth who was burying his father today to make me feel better. And worse.

I leaned against the computer desk and buried my head in my hands. "Oh my God," I moaned. Jake reached out and pulled me toward him, one arm around my waist.

"It's okay, Bells. I can fix this," he said, scrolling up through the comments. "Embry," he mumbled. "He's the only one who hasn't commented."

Quickly, he whipped out his phone and found the contact, calling Embry. After a minute, I heard the muffled sound of Embry answering his phone. "The fuck, man? It's not even nine," he began angrily.

"Embry, listen, go on your computer. I'm gonna put a status on Facebook and you need to say that you're the one who did it, okay?"

"Wait, what?" he asked. Jake was already on the computer posting something on his Facebook wall.

"Ok, look at my status and own up, okay? Sorry, man, but you're the only one I know that hasn't commented on it yet."

There was a pause, and I heard Embry laughing. Jake smiled too. "Thanks, man," Jake said. He hung up, turning to me. "It's all taken care of," he said.

I looked over his shoulder at the computer. He'd written on his wall, "Whatever dumb bastard pulled this stunt pretending to be Bella better volunteer now for his ass-kicking – don't you idiots know her dad is the police chief?" As I watched, Embry's post appeared underneath, "Calm down, Black, it was just a joke. Not my fault everyone is so gullible. Don't leave your computer up with FB on next time."

I breathed a sigh of relief. It was perfect. Jacob had taken care of my problem again. This kind of thing happened a lot, usually with statuses like, "I'm the best person I know," or, "I've decided to come out of the closet." If you were stupid enough to leave your Facebook account open and a friend saw it, they could post anything they wanted. It was always funny to see the posts afterwards, blaming whoever did it.

But now Tori and Katrina and all those other skanks would think it was okay to hang all over Jakey again. With Jacob's quick thinking, though, at least Charlie wouldn't get wind of it. In a small town like Forks, that was a definite worry.

Jacob moved away from the computer and I logged in to my Facebook, deleting the status completely. Now the 46 responses were lost in cyberspace, never to appear again. Before I deleted it, though, I paged through all the responses. Tori had said, "Oh, Jacob, your TAKEN?" complete with frowny face and incorrect usage of 'your.' Katrina had simply put the frowny face with an exclamation point. They weren't the sharpest tools in the shed, were they? At least I'd gotten my point across.

I hugged Jake from behind, planting a kiss on his shoulder blade. I had to reach up on tiptoe to do it. "Thank you," I said, smiling.

He turned around and caught me up in a hug, squeezing me like he used to when he'd take my breath away. Now he took my breath away for completely different reasons. "You're welcome. And you don't need to worry, Bells. The fan club is closing down as of today."

I smiled happily and went down to cook breakfast for the man I'd spent the night with.

After he'd devoured a dozen eggs, at least as many pancakes, and a half-gallon of chocolate milk, we did the dishes and got ready for the funeral. He seemed edgy as we tidied up, and I wondered why. He almost seemed the same as last night, when we'd almost let our hormones get the better of us. What was going on?

I went upstairs to get ready and he went out to the truck, presumably to get his funeral suit. He was back almost instantly, and he thundered up the stairs. He threw open my door just as I was tucking my blouse into my slacks and I whirled around, his sense of urgency permeating the room.

His eyes were large and dark, his nostrils flared, and he spat, "One of them is here."

I stood rooted to the spot, my hands stilled in the process of tucking in my blouse. "One of who?" I asked, my voice not much above a whisper.

"A fuckin' Cullen," he growled.

"How do you know?" I could barely get the words out.

"I can smell him," he said, his eyes darkening further. His whole demeanor had changed. His entire frame shook, almost as if he were vibrating before my eyes. Under his breath, he murmured, "I knew something was wrong. I knew things weren't right here."

"Jake, don't phase!" I begged him. He looked at me wildly, and the eyes staring back at me were the eyes of the wolf.

"I won't," he said. "You're ready? Let's get out of here."

"Is it time to go already?" I asked, confused.

"Bella, I can't protect you here. This is Cullen territory. I have to get out of here," Jacob answered, intensity flowing from his every pore. "Come on!"

He turned and disappeared down the stairs and I followed him. We were in the truck before I knew it, heading back towards La Push. He was on his phone the entire ride, back and forth with guys from the pack, updating and planning.

I sat silent in the passenger's seat, barely hearing his urgent conversations. I was thinking about which Cullen could be back at my house. Jake had said he could smell _him_, so I was assuming it was one of the men. Was it Carlisle? I couldn't imagine that Jake would have such a strong reaction to the gentle vampire, so I ruled him out. It would be just my luck that Emmett would show up. Knowing his nature and fighting spirit, I figured he'd cause a bad reaction in the wolves no matter what. But why would Emmett come back? There really was no reason. That left Jasper. I didn't think he'd have any qualms about killing a human. Obviously, he had gone for a human (me) and that was the beginning of all these problems. I also knew he wouldn't have any trouble fighting the wolves. It definitely could be Jasper; that would make perfect sense. My blood had tempted him before; maybe he'd come back to finish the job. The thought gave me the chills.

Of course, I was ignoring the most obvious choice: Edward. I really didn't think he'd come back. After all, he'd promised he wouldn't be back. He'd promised that it would be as if he'd never existed. If he didn't exist, he couldn't come back. Could he?

What if Edward had loved me all along? What if he wanted to come back? What if…_oh God_…what if he wanted to get back together?

_Now comes the **real** test_, I thought wryly. If he was back and wanted to get back together with me, I was going to be faced with a choice. The same choice I'd been facing from the beginning: Jacob or Edward? _Cross that bridge when you come to it! _my mind screamed. Yes, of course. It _couldn't_ be Edward. It _had_ to be Jasper or Emmett. It was probably Jasper; that made the most sense. And even if it were Edward…so what? I'd come to terms with my relationship with Edward. I was confident I'd be able to resist him. Still…I had to find out which vampire was here.

I knew we were on the reservation and would be pulling up to Jake's house momentarily. He was finally off the phone and looked sideways at me. "Are you okay?"

I continued to stare straight ahead, though I could see him out of my peripheral vision. "Who's in Forks, Jake? Who came back?" I asked quietly.

"Does it matter?" he asked in response.

I looked at him beseechingly. "Please, Jacob. Just tell me. Do you know who's back?"

Jake looked disgusted. He snorted and shook his head. "I knew it was too good to be true," he mumbled, almost too low for me to hear. Louder, he said in a disparaging tone, "Who do you _think_?"

I had my answer, but I had to know for sure. It was Edward; it had to be. No one else would elicit this response in Jake. "It's Edward, isn't it?" I asked.

"Of _course_ it's fucking Edward!" he spat. "So now you can run back to him. Have him turn you. Leave Charlie behind and become a vamp. It'll be your dream come true." I couldn't believe the vitriol that was coming out of Jake, the guy with whom I was madly in love. What was wrong with him? I'd told him I loved him. He knew it, didn't he?

"Jacob," I said steadily. "I am not going back to him. I told you, I'll never go back to him. Remember? I said that and I meant it."

"You said it when you didn't think there was any chance he'd be back," he growled. "But now he is, and I know you. You'll go back to him. He has some kind of a hold on you, Bella. Some sick, twisted bloodsucker thing. You're fuckin' obsessed with that leech!"

I wouldn't give in to his hostility. I loved Jake. There was no changing it. He was simply upset at the latest turn of events. He didn't mean the malicious things he was saying. "Jacob, I love _you_," I said as if I were speaking to a five year old. "Nothing that happens today or tomorrow or next year will change that. I just wanted to know who was back so I could prepare myself. I know that if Edward is back, he'll try to contact me. I just want to be ready when it happens, that's all."

"Oh, don't you worry about that!" Jacob scoffed. "You aren't leaving the rez until he's gone; no ifs, ands or buts about it."

"You won't kill him, will you?" I asked, scared. I didn't love Edward anymore, but I didn't want him dead.

He gave me a contemptuous look. "Treaty, Bells, remember? We can't kill them unless they come on our land, kill someone, or try to change someone. I don't think Edward is that stupid." Jacob inhaled deeply. "Okay, now here's what we're doing. We have to go to the funeral, since I'm a pallbearer. Hopefully it won't take too long. Then I'm dropping you at my place and I'm leaving to drive the bloodsucker out of the area and warn him not to come back. _You_ will stay at my place until I come back and tell you that you can leave, understand?" He looked at me and I nodded meekly. "Then I'll take you home and drop you off and you can make up your mind about the leech versus the werewolf."

"Is anyone going to patrol during the funeral?" I asked in a small voice.

"Jared is going to take patrol then. He's the only pack member that isn't a pallbearer. And Seth and Leah won't be joining us this afternoon either, for obvious reasons. But this will be done by nightfall. And don't worry about precious Edward. He'll get away unharmed."

Why was Jake being so nasty? It wasn't as if I'd invited Edward here! I guess in a roundabout way it was my fault, but it wasn't as if I'd wanted Edward to come back. Maybe Jacob was worried. I'd be worried if Katrina or Tori showed up, and Jake claimed he didn't even have relationships with those chicks. That had to be it. Jake was upset because he was afraid he was going to lose me.

How much more could I do to reassure him that this wasn't the case? I didn't want Edward any more, couldn't Jake see that? I'd told Jake that I loved him. I'd nearly proved it physically not twelve hours ago! So why would he be worried? I wondered if Jacob truly didn't believe my profession of love for him. Was I really that wishy-washy? I was abruptly ashamed. Jake loved unconditionally and fully, but was I holding something back? And if so, could he tell?

I followed Jake into his house and sat on the sofa until he came out of his room, looking delectable in a dark blue pinstriped suit, crisp white dress shirt, and gray striped tie. I could tell the suit was newish, but I didn't want to ask about it. It seemed too trivial a topic for the current mood. "You look nice," I ventured.

"Yeah, they got some good stuff at the Salvation Army if you know where to look," he said sarcastically. I didn't know if he was being serious, so I decided to leave it alone. No sense poking the bear. Or the wolf, as the case may be.

"Let's go," he said tersely, and we went back out to the truck. Though it wasn't raining yet, the sky, as usual, was overcast and I knew rain was imminent. Jake grabbed a big black umbrella on his way out.

We drove the short few miles to the funeral home, and Jake came around to help me out of the truck. We walked in together, not touching, and as soon as we were inside he was off with the pack. I found Charlie standing with Sue and Billy, and awkwardly joined them.

Charlie stared in surprise at my flaking forehead. "What happened to your face, Bells?" he asked in alarm.

I realized we hadn't come up with a story about the burns. In all the excitement, I'd forgotten that Charlie would notice such a thing. Quickly, my mind searched for an excuse.

"Well, uh, it's sort of a Quileute tradition to have a bonfire the night before a burial. Jake's friends made a big fire last night for Harry, and you know me…I got a little too close." I smiled weakly. I'd always been such a bad liar. My only hope was that Charlie was too absorbed in the funeral to pay me much attention.

"I never heard of that tradition," Charlie said, his brows meeting in confusion.

I thought fast. "Well," I said in a conspiratorial tone. "To be honest, I think it was just an excuse. Jake and his friends always try to start fires in the rain. To show off their 'native skills.'" I made air quotes and rolled my eyes for effect. "Don't tell Billy, I don't want to get Jake in trouble." I added.

Charlie made a little motion like he was locking his lips. "Your secret's safe with me Bells, but for God's sake, be careful!"

"Sorry," I shrugged, mentally breathing a sigh of relief. He must really be upset about Harry if he bought that lame excuse.

I felt out of place, but I think Charlie liked the fact that I was there. He tried to include me in the conversation, but I was preoccupied with the whole Cullen thing. I was still trying to understand why Edward would return to Forks.

The service was short, and then Jake, Sam, Paul, and Embry took their places and donned their gloves to perform the duties of pallbearers. They carried Harry's casket out to the hearse, and we all went outside to follow them to the Quileute Cemetery. Anyone not in the tribe was cautioned to stay behind the gate, and the tribe elders and members proceeded behind Harry's coffin to the burial site. I watched as Lee-hana ambled past us, her sharp black eyes looking at me as she nodded. Charlie and I stood huddled together, the only non-tribe members in the group. He put one arm around my shoulders and helped to keep me warm as the Quileutes performed the rituals that went with sending Harry to his final resting place. We stood quiet and respectful, waiting patiently until the service was complete.

"Everything okay between you and Jake?" Charlie asked under his breath as the ceremony went on. "Kid seems a little on edge this morning."

I sighed. Should I tell Charlie the bad news, knowing how he felt about Edward? "Probably just the Harry thing," I said, evading the issue completely.

"It's more than just that," Charlie said. "He's waiting for something…or someone. He's too alert. All of those boys are."

I always underestimated Charlie. He didn't get to be the police chief by sitting around, pushing pencils on a desk. Charlie was astute. He noticed things, little things, things no one else saw. I knew I could trust him, and to be honest, I wanted to know his thoughts. But this was dangerous ground. Charlie held Edward completely responsible for my catatonic state for four months at the end of last year and the beginning of this year. I wasn't sure if he was ready to forgive and forget. I also knew that if Charlie was aware of Edward's presence in Forks, he'd be keeping a sharp eye out for him. I decided not to tell Charlie about Edward's return. The less he knew, the easier it would be to hide things from him if necessary.

"I don't know, Dad," I said quietly. The procession was making its way back to us, and I was glad of the distraction. Charlie took Billy's wheelchair from Seth, and together they went back to the line of cars. I waited for Jacob, who was one of the last of the crowd. He stood in the rain that had finally started to fall, talking earnestly to Paul and Sam. Embry watched them with careful eyes.

I raised the umbrella Jacob had left with me, and the action made him look up at me. His eyes were wary, and he watched me with an expression I couldn't read. It almost looked like anger, but what did Jake have to be angry with me about?

With one last sentence to Sam, he strode toward me. He walked right past me, snarling, "Let's go," to me as he passed. I followed him, nearly having to run to catch up.

"Jake, slow down!" I said. The path was muddy and I didn't want to ruin my dress pants.

He turned finally and waited for me. When I caught up, I grabbed his hand and stopped as well, holding him fast. I had no hope of keeping him there if he didn't want to be, but he looked at me curiously, and I quickly asked, "Why are you so pissed at me?"

"I'm not pissed at you," he said with no emotion.

"Jake, seriously, what's wrong? Why are you mad? And don't say you aren't, because I can tell."

"I'm not mad," he insisted. "Although your little Facebook stunt is causing more trouble than I need right now."

His cell phone trilled at that moment and he pulled it out of his pocket with a, "Shit!" He pointed the screen in my direction. The caller ID said plainly that "Katrina" was calling. "You see what I mean? Last thing I need today is fifty calls from these little princesses." He quickly pressed the button to ignore the call and put his phone away.

"You _are_ mad," I insisted, ignoring his little rant. "And I want to know why."

"Look, Bella, we don't have time now. Get in the truck and let's get back to my place."

"Good," I said snottily, keeping hold of his hand as I quickened my step to keep up. "You can tell me on the way."

The rest of the cars were gone when Jake and I got to the truck. He fired up the engine with the usual, "Friggin' truck is too damn slow," comment he made every time he drove it. Splashing through the muddy puddles, he drove out of the cemetery and back toward his place.

"So tell me why you're mad," I said, starting back up immediately.

"I told you, I'm not mad," he insisted, giving me a sidelong dirty look. "I'm just waiting for the other shoe to fall."

"What does _that _mean?" I asked sharply.

"It means I know what's coming," he said, defeated. "I'm just mentally preparing myself for the inevitable."

"And what is the inevitable?" I asked.

"That you'll go back to the bloodsucker and I'll be left here alone. Again."

I sat for a moment, digesting this. As much as I loved Jacob, would I do something like that to him? Could I? He seemed to take my silence for agreement, and he went on. "Plus, you made that stupid comment on Facebook, so now even if I wanted to find someone else to date, _which I don't_, you've pretty much burned that bridge for me." His eyes were sad. He wasn't mourning the fact that the "little princesses" as he referred to them were unavailable; he was mourning what he believed to be my defection. He thought I wouldn't love him anymore.

"Ja-cob!" I wailed, drawing his name out to a long cry. "Why can't you believe me? I love you. _Only_ you."

"It doesn't matter anyway," he said morosely. "I knew I would never be able to keep a girl like you happy. It's probably just as well, with me busting into a werewolf every five minutes." He forced a smile, and it made me sad. "You don't want a guy who can't even stay human for a twenty-four hour period, Bells."

I was stunned into silence. Did he really believe that? Of course I wanted him. I thought about his dark good looks, his dazzling smile, his easygoing way. I thought of him turning into a wolf; while it had been scary before, it had a sexy, taboo quality now. I relished the idea of being a wolf girl now instead of a vampire girl.

I was still sitting in stunned silence when Jake pulled up in front of the little red house. With a clipped, "We're here," he opened the door and proceeded into the house, not even waiting for me.

I ran behind him into the house, but he was already in his room, changing I presumed. I was right. He came out in a pair of black sweats and nothing else. "Now you're going to _stay here_, you got me?" he said, pointing a finger at me. "Don't go off on one of your little tangents. You're safest here, because he can't come on our land. You stay here, in the house. Understood?"

"O-_kay_," I said in a snippy tone. I didn't like anyone ordering me around.

"Okay," he said, in a somewhat gentler tone. "You can watch TV or go online if you're bored. I'll be back as soon as I can." He turned to go.

"Jake?" I called after him. He turned around, his face the mask again. "Can I have a kiss goodbye?"

He sighed through his nose, and took two quick strides back to me. He pecked me once on the lips, a dry, lifeless kiss. I reached up on my tiptoes and grabbed two fistfuls of his hair, pulling him back down to me.

I kissed him for all I was worth, not holding anything back. In it, I tried to convey my love for him and everything that meant. I slid my tongue between his lips and slowly explored his mouth, trying to let him know through my passion that I loved him and only him.

He pulled away. "I have to go, Bells," he said, not looking at me. And before I knew it, he was out the door.

I was numb. I stood there looking at the closed door. What the hell happened?

Several hours later, Jacob still hadn't returned.

When I first got back to the Black's place, I spent at least an hour crying. I couldn't understand Jacob's attitude. Why was he being so hostile toward me? He was under the mistaken impression that Edward's return was going to change our relationship. I supposed that was only fair; Jake and I had only just confessed our love to each other. The relationship was brand new. Jake was scared that he'd lose me. And I was scared that I'd lose him, too. I didn't want to see Edward. I'd only just stopped thinking about him, and of course I was worried that if I saw him, I'd go into a tailspin.

But I wouldn't leave Jacob. I'd promised I'd stay with him no matter what, and I intended to keep my promise. I just didn't want it to be hard. I wanted it to be easy. It was hard enough already. He was a werewolf. My dad didn't know about that, so I had to hide things from him. I was aware, for good or bad, that my blood was overly-appetizing to vampires. Plus I had school to worry about, all the cooking and cleaning and shopping to do at Charlie's. Need I go on? After my long cry, wherein I resolved that I'd continue to date Jacob even if Edward begged me to come away with him, I'd decided I was hungry and scrounged some potato chips and soda from Billy's kitchen. That didn't take long, so I'd watched TV for a few hours. It was boring, and it reminded me of the previous night when I'd sat in the same place, watching the same TV, and Victoria had almost succeeded in her attempt to kill me.

I'd finally settled in to watch a cheerleading movie, and was laughing at the funny lines when I remembered that Jake had said I could go online. Maybe I'd take another look at his Facebook page and see if there were any more incriminating pictures or sassy remarks about my stupid post.

His laptop was open on the desk in his room, and all I had to do was sweep my fingers across the touch pad for the computer to spring to life. Billy had Wi-Fi, who would've figured? Of course Jake's homepage was Facebook. Eagerly, I looked at his page. There were a few references to my previous post, a couple of comments about Embry pulling a good joke, and other things that weren't as interesting. Comments from Katrina and Tori were conspicuously absent.

After creeping on his page for awhile, I decided to log on to my own page and see if anyone there had made any comments about the stupid post. I checked my page and found a few snippy remarks from people like Lauren and Jess. Angela hadn't bothered to comment, and Mike had made a funny remark, so the damage was pretty well contained. I was about to log off when I noticed my friend request button had a notification. I clicked on it, curious. I was friends with practically everyone I knew at school.

Under the heading Friend Requests, there it was, with a picture and everything.

Alice Cullen. Confirm. Ignore.

My heart turned to stone and ice ran in my veins. Why was Alice on Facebook?


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Just another update. It might take me a little longer to get Chapter 10 up, because I ended up combining 9 & 10, so my original 10 is now the end of 9. Got that? So my system of having the next chapter written before I publish the previous chapter is blown completely out of the water. Now there's no chapter 10 waiting - not one word! But that's ok, I'll have it up ASAP. Love you guys!**

**Anything you recognize doesn't belong to me.**

CHAPTER 9

Cautiously, I placed the arrow over the Confirm button and clicked it. Almost instantly, a notification popped up on my Messages button. I clicked with something akin to panic.

Of course. Of course it was Alice.

_Bella, What was that post from yesterday night all about? Are you sleeping with this Jacob Black boy? Not that it's any of my business, but do you think that's wise? You can't have known him very long. I don't remember him from school. In fact, from his pictures it doesn't even look like he goes to your school. I also wanted to warn you…but I don't know if you're alone. Are you?—Alice_

_Oh, Alice! _Hearing from her, even if it was only on Facebook, made me miss her terribly. She'd been my best girlfriend, and I wanted her back! But…I couldn't have her back. She was one of_ them_. As a wolf girl, I couldn't hang out with the vamps any more. But _oh_, how I missed her.

I knew she was waiting for my reply. I could answer her, couldn't I? After all, I had friends from Phoenix that I still talked to online. Just because I talked to her didn't mean we had to meet in person. And anyway, I knew what she was going to "warn" me about. She was going to tell me that Edward was coming back or that he had come back. She wasn't aware that I already knew that he was here.

I clicked on "Write a Reply…" and began.

_Alice, It is so good to hear from you. I am NOT sleeping with Jacob Black, at least not in the way you think. We're best friends and it looks like we're even a little more than that now. In fact, I'm writing this at his house on his computer. He's not here though, so yes, I'm alone. And you wouldn't know him, Alice. He lives on the Quileute Reservation. I think I know what you want to warn me about, but I AM alone, so what is it? And where are you, what have you been doing, tell me the Cullen news. Hearts, Bella_

I started to scroll down my page while I waited for her to answer, but the little message notification appeared right away. She'd already answered.

_Bella - He's a Quileute? I'm not sure if Edward ever told you, but there's something about them that you might not know. I'm not the one to tell you about that, though. I'll leave it to your friend Jacob. What I wanted to warn you about is this: Edward is on his way back, or he's already there. He's looking for you, Bella. He saw that Facebook post and he's very upset. Not so much that you've moved on, but that you've moved on with that Jacob person. Although I don't know the child, Edward does. He doesn't like it and he's on his way there to tell you that. I just hope you can handle him when he gets to you._

_So you know, we've been on the east coast. Carlisle is working in a small town hospital here in Jericho, Vermont. Esme is restoring an old house on the outskirts of town. Jasper and I are in high school again, but we started as sophomores. Emmett and Rosalie are in Europe on another honeymoon. And Edward has been here and there. He's mostly in the US, but he spends time in Europe and South America too. He has internet access, obviously, and he keeps in touch with us pretty regularly. But he's still affected by your breakup, and I don't think he'll ever be the same. He seems…distant. And prone to rages. So please, if you do see him, be careful. We love you and miss you, Bella, but I don't think we can ever see each other again. Take care of yourself, and ask your boyfriend about his legends. You might be surprised at what you find out._

_Love Forever, Alice_

Edward _knew_ about the post? Since when did the Cullens go on Facebook? It seemed so…beneath them or something. So ordinary. They were much too cerebral to follow these everyday, mundane things that seemed so important to everyone else. I didn't like the fact that Edward could have been creeping on my page all this time, watching my pathetic progress through the devastating breakup. And another thing…

Why did he and Alice insist on calling Jacob a child? He was only a little over a year younger than I. Was I considered a child to the Cullens as well? And then I thought about it: yes, I was. That's why Edward had never trusted me to do anything alone, why he felt the need to smother me with "protection." He thought I was a child. That bothered me.

And now he was "prone to rages?" Bring it on, Edward. (Hey, I said I was watching a cheerleading movie.) I knew someone who had a little rage problem himself. I thought Edward might want to watch the rages around my wolf friends.

I replied to Alice to keep her from worrying.

_Alice – Thanks for the heads up, but I know all about the Quileutes and I knew Edward was back. To be honest, I put that post on Jacob's wall as a warning (to the girls who want to be his girlfriends at school) that he was taken. By me. And when you refer to my "breakup" with Edward, I want to get something straight with you Alice. I don't want to be rude, but something needs to be cleared up. Edward broke up with me. It wasn't mutual. I was devastated for months, Alice. Months. Not only did he take away the love of my life, he also took away my best friend. And a family that I'd come to love as well. I'm proud of myself for moving on. I'm sorry that Edward is still sad, but he brought it on himself. And if there's any way for you to reach him, you might want to tell him that I would prefer not to see him if at all possible. I'm sorry if I sound rude, Alice, I truly don't mean to be. But I don't want to see him again. I'm afraid, Alice. It took me a long time to get where I am now, and I'm happy for the first time in months. If I see him, that might all come crashing down. Please, Alice, if you ever had a kind thought toward me, please try to reach Edward and tell him not to contact me. I'm staying on the reservation until he leaves anyway. Thank you, Alice. Love always, Bella_

She answered me instantly, like I knew she would.

_Bella, I understand. I really do. But you don't know how bad Edward has been. He hasn't hunted in months. He looks horrible; haunted, his skin like tissue paper, eyes are two holes burned in a blanket. He's losing it, Bella. I think if you see him, he might be able to start moving out of the fog he's been in. Can't you find it in your heart to help him to be happy? He wanted you to be happy. But I think he needs to see you're moving on. I think it will help him. Please consider it. If you won't change your mind, let me know and I will tell him not to contact you. But think about giving him a chance, okay? I'm begging you, as your best girlfriend. Please._

She didn't sign it.

I answered her back.

_Alice,_

_Look, I'm serious that I don't want to see him. Do you really think it will matter? Edward left ME. I wish it weren't like that, but it is. And I DON'T want to see him. This could cause me big problems with Jacob. I love Jacob, and things aren't going perfectly right now, mostly due to Edward. I know what's going on with the Quileute boys, and I also know that Edward is making it worse. Believe it or not, I helped trap Victoria two nights ago and the wolves finished her off, so they've been on edge. The wolves are very wary of Edward, Alice. They're not sure what his ultimate goal is. And with Jacob and I dating, the wolves are doubly suspicious. Jacob is one of them, Alice. They are going to protect me, and him, as much as they can. Jacob will not let me off the reservation until Edward is out of the area, so I don't think there's any way that I will be able to see him. But you have to understand, I don't WANT to see him._

The reply, once again, was instantaneous.

_Bella, please reconsider! Maybe Jacob wants to keep you on the reservation for the same reasons Edward wanted to keep you close. Have you ever thought that this child may be trying to control you the same way you say Edward did? And I can't believe the wolves would risk your life by trying to get you to help them handle Victoria! Bella, don't you see? They are not concerned with your safety if they are playing games like this with your life! You can say a lot of things about Edward, but he would never risk your life like that! I don't think these wolves are trying to keep you safe. I think they are trying to keep you close. There's a big difference. It's a victory for them in a way, because they have gotten you to defect against us._

_I didn't want to be the one to tell you this, and I don't even know if it's right to tell you now. But I have to tell you. If you know about the wolves, I'm sure you're aware of the Treaty, but Carlisle recently told me that one of the terms of the treaty involves fraternizing with humans. We weren't aware of it before now, and Edward has no idea. But did you know that by the terms of the Treaty, they will have to kill Edward? He has knowingly fraternized with a human - you. They are watching you, Bella. Keeping you close to keep an eye on you. Because he dated you for so long, he's subject to punishment for breaking the Treaty. That punishment, Bella, is death. They're planning his death. Mark my words. Hopefully, Edward will be able to escape them, but you owe him at least a warning. Please see him, for that reason if no other. Trust me, Bella, he won't leave until he talks to you. Please see him._

Could this be true? Could Alice have the terms of the Treaty correct? Wouldn't Jacob have told me about this if it were the case? Alice couldn't – _couldn't_ be right about this! Jacob had told me that Edward would be sent away safely. She must have misunderstood. I needed to talk to Jacob. He'd said he'd be back by nightfall, and it was nearing four o'clock. What was taking so long?

I knew that Jacob had told me to stay put, but maybe…maybe I'd just go back to Charlie's place and see if they were there. If Edward was trying to find me, he'd be at Charlie's house. I needed to know what was going on, and I needed to find out the truth about the Treaty from Jacob. Who else could tell me the real story?

But, I knew that Jacob didn't want me to leave, and he didn't want me to "fraternize" with Edward, and Alice said Edward wouldn't leave until he saw me. I didn't want to love Edward anymore, but I didn't want his existence eliminated either. I was the only one who could warn him. I _had_ to tell him!

Jacob would be furious when he found out. But he'd get over it…wouldn't he? This wouldn't damage our relationship so much that he'd leave me, would it? Because I wouldn't be able to take that. I'd crash again, and I couldn't put Charlie, Jacob, Renee, or _myself_ through the misery.

I made up my mind. There was no way I'd risk the relationship I had with Jacob. I couldn't leave this house. If it meant that Edward would be eliminated…well, that was a high price to pay, but to convince Jacob that I was certain I wanted to keep our relationship intact, I'd pay it. And Edward would have to pay it too.

It didn't seem fair, Edward having to pay that price. But Edward should have known the terms of the Treaty. He'd been around since the first one was signed. I could excuse Alice; I knew she wasn't around to make the Treaty with Jacob's ancestors.

But was there anyone who _could_ tell me the actual terms of the Treaty? And then it hit me. Maybe Emily would be able to tell me the exact Treaty details. Sam's fiancee was an imprint. That meant she'd know all the secrets of the tribe. I could call her. Jake's phone was still in the pocket of his suit, so I grabbed it and scrolled through his contacts. There it was, Emily. I pressed the button unthinkingly and she answered immediately.

"Jacob? What happened, why are you calling me? Where's Sam?" she asked frantically. I could've kicked myself.

"Oh my God, Emily, it's me, Bella. I'm so sorry, nothing is wrong as far as I know, I haven't heard anything." I said swiftly, before she could worry another second.

"Oh, Bella!" she said in relief. "Thank God. You haven't heard anything?"

"No, I promise. I'm sorry."

"That's okay. But why are you calling me on Jacob's phone? Is everything okay with you?" she asked.

"Not exactly. I…I have a question. About the Treaty," I told her.

"The Treaty? I don't think…" Emily began.

"I know, I'm not supposed to know about it. But Jake told me a long time ago, when he didn't even know it was true. So I sort of know. But do you know any details about it?" I hastened to explain.

"I'm not sure I'm supposed to discuss it with anyone who doesn't live on the rez, Bella." She sounded reluctant.

I thought for a moment. "Could you…like, answer yes or no questions?" I asked her, my voice tentative.

There was a silence. "Okay, I guess I could try that," she said reluctantly.

"Okay, good," I said eagerly. "I just have one question. Does the Treaty say that the wolves will kill a vampire if they fraternize with a human?"

Emily was silent for so long, I thought I'd lost the connection. "Emily?" I asked.

"I'm here, Bella. It's just…I feel uncomfortable talking with you about this. This is a tribe thing. It's not supposed to be discussed with outsiders."

I wanted to tell her I wasn't an outsider; that I'd seen Jake and Paul phase, and that I'd actually helped all the wolves kill Victoria two nights ago. But I was pretty sure she knew all that, and she still didn't want to tell me. I tried another tactic.

"Emily, look. Jake and I are seeing each other now, officially. He told me to stay here, at his place, until they can get Edward Cullen out of the area. But I _will_ leave and drive back to my dad's house to tell Edward if you won't tell me the truth about the Treaty. Can't you please make an exception just this once? I really don't want to make Jacob upset with me. You know how long this has been in coming." In reality, I had no intention of breaking the rules Jacob had laid down for me, but I needed to convey some sense of urgency to Emily. I had to know so I could prepare myself if Jake indeed came back to tell me of Edward's…death.

Emily sighed. "Bella, you get in more trouble…" she began under her breath, then continued in a normal tone. "Okay, fine. I won't actually tell you any of the true terms. But think about this. If the Cullens would be killed for fraternizing with humans, wouldn't they be dead already? Or whatever it is you call it when a vampire ceases to exist?"

I let it sink in. "Wait, are you telling me that it's not true? That's _not_ one of the terms of the Treaty?"

"Again, Bella, wouldn't they already be dead? They were 'fraternizing' with you for quite some time." She said this facetiously, as if she, like Jacob, thought Edward and I had been…intimate.

I knew everything I needed to know. Alice had lied to me. I didn't really want it to be true, but I knew she'd lied to me in the past, back in the hotel room in Phoenix, that horrible time before James tried to kill me. And I'd heard her lie to Jasper occasionally, to save him from worrying about her. But I never thought she'd lie about something so…superfluous. Edward wanted to see me; all right, I understood that. But I didn't want to see him. Alice's loyalty was to Edward. I could see that now. And that was probably the way it should be; they were the same, Edward and Alice. But now I knew the truth. Edward wouldn't be needing a warning from me. And I wouldn't be seeing him if I could help it.

I thanked Emily profusely, and hung up. I continued to wait patiently for Jacob, but didn't log on to the computer again - once I'd unfriended Alice.

He returned a little after dinner time. I heard his footfalls on Billy's ramp outside, and I knew he was back. I hoped he was in a better mood and that he'd at least talk to me without the underlying anger he'd displayed before he left. I still didn't know what was making him so mad.

He walked through the door, glancing around anxiously until his eyes landed on me, sitting in the corner of the couch. The TV was off and the room was getting dark. The worried look left his face. He relaxed visibly and his eyes softened.

"What're you doing over there?" he asked quietly.

"Just waiting for you," I answered. He walked over to the couch and sat down beside me, slinging one arm over the back of the sofa as he did. It didn't escape me that he still wasn't touching me, but at least he was being civil. And much nicer than when he'd left.

"How did it go?" I began. He sighed long and loud.

"Well, he won't leave," he said in a defeated tone. "No matter what we did or said - and believe me, it was a lot - he held his ground."

I leaned into him, feeling his warmth permeate my thin blouse. I hadn't realized I was so cold. "What does he want, Jake?" I asked fearfully.

"You. He wants to talk to you," he answered, his hand dropping to my shoulder and pulling me close. His hand rubbed my arm absently. "I had to phase back and talk to him. Man, that guy is one fucked up dude."

Something blocked my throat and I couldn't speak, but I ducked my head into his chest. His hand touched my hair, soothing me softly. After a couple of swallows, I forced the lump in my throat down and asked, "Why does he want to talk to me?"

"He claims he just wants to see if you're okay," sighed Jake, his hand continuing to stroke my hair. "I tried to show him, but I guess the freaky bastard doesn't believe my thoughts."

"So if he wants to talk," I said haltingly, "can I just call him?"

"No, Bells, he's pretty fixed on wanting to actually _see_ you."

I thought for a moment. "Will it get rid of him if I see him?" I asked quietly.

"Don't know," he answered shortly, and I was afraid the angry Jacob was coming back, but his hand continued swirling through my hair. "Do you_ want_ to see him?"

"Only if it means he'll leave," I said in a clipped tone. "And only if you'll come with me."

"Bells, I don't know if I can do that," Jacob spluttered.

I turned toward him, cupping one hand behind his neck and pulling him toward me. He came easily. "Jake, I need you there," I said pleadingly.

His dark eyes swam before me. "Why?" he asked brokenly. "So I can see that motherfu…" He shook his head as if to clear it. "See that leech take away the only thing I have in my life that makes me happy?"

I sat for a second, digesting this. "I need you there. To ground me, Jake. To keep me from doing something I'll regret."

"To keep you from throwing yourself at him, you mean," he growled.

I kept my eyes on his, holding his gaze. "Jacob. I don't want to throw myself at him. I don't want to go back to him. I don't even want to _see_ him. What he did to me, even if it was supposed to be for my own good, screwed me up for months. I can't risk that again, especially not now, when I'm finally pulling out of it."

His expression broke my heart. It was a mixture of hope and defeat. I knew he wanted to believe me, but he couldn't. He'd been on the receiving end of pain for a long time, too. I knew better than anyone how hard it was to let that go.

"Bella, look. I've been in love with you for over a year. You've been missing him for better than half of it. And now…" He ran a hand through his hair, then rubbed his face as if he could erase the past eight months. "Now you want me to believe, all of a sudden, that you're done with Cullen and that you're going to stay with me. I just can't change that fast. It's only been, what, three days since you decided that you were 'over' him? It's still too new to me. I can't just turn on a dime like that. Don't you get it?"

I laid my head on his chest, sighing sadly. "I get it," I said. "But I still want you there. I really, really want you there. If I have to see him to get him to leave, I want you with me. As dumb as it sounds, you'll give me strength if you're there."

He pulled me closer, laying his hot cheek on top of my head. "It's not dumb. I know why you want me there. We're best friends. That's what you do for your friends."

I was almost afraid to hope. "So you'll go with me?" I asked.

"I'll go with you," he said in a tone overcome with emotion. "But I want the pack there. I want them watching, in case anything bad happens. That's a given."

"I agree completely," I told him. "So you should probably tell Sam."

He got on his phone while I unearthed ingredients in the kitchen for dinner. I found some frozen chicken breasts, a couple of cans of cream of chicken soup, instant rice, canned mushrooms, and green peppers, onions and celery. I whipped up a simple but filling casserole. By the time I was finished, Jake had everything worked out with Sam and the rest of the pack. They'd decided to go tomorrow, after school. Edward was staying at the Cullen house, so Jake and I would go there to talk to him, and the pack would patrol the area. Even though it was Cullen territory, Sam was willing to stretch the boundaries of the Treaty for this occasion. We talked about it over dinner.

"Thanks for cooking, Bells, this is great," he said, shoveling great forkfuls of the chicken-rice dish into his mouth.

"I'm used to it," I told him.

"So we're going to the crypt after school tomorrow. I'll swing by in the Rabbit and pick you up. We'll take my car; it's faster. We'll go over there, you can tell Eddie to leave, and we'll be home by dinner." I laughed at his description, knowing he was only saying it to mess with me. This is what I loved about Jake. No matter how tense the situation, he would always find a way to joke about it eventually. His sunny personality broke through no matter how hard he tried to repress it.

But if something happened tomorrow, and Edward was able to convince me…_No!_ I _wouldn't_ allow that to happen. I would come with Jake, and I'd leave with Jake. There wasn't a doubt in my mind…was there? I prayed that I'd be able to resist Edward, that I wouldn't turn into a quivering mass of jelly as soon as I saw him, that the hole in my chest didn't open back up the second I was in his presence. I ate very little, my stomach upset. We finished the casserole anyway, since Jake ate so much.

Finally we sat with our empty plates in front of us. Jake was buttering a piece of bread, and he looked up from his task, catching me sitting there, watching him with my chin on my fist.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," I replied.

"Yes there is. If you don't tell me, Bella, how will I know? I don't read minds like someone else I could mention." He wasn't being snippy, he genuinely wanted to know what was wrong. I huffed a short, humorless laugh.

"You know Edward couldn't read _my_ mind," I said.

"You're scared, aren't you?" he asked earnestly.

I buried my face in my palms, resting my elbows on the table. "Yes," I said, muffled from my hands being over my face.

He pulled one hand away and held it in his strong, warm one. "What are you scared of, Bells?" he asked.

"Seeing Edward," I mumbled, still focused on the table.

"_Any_one would be," he said in a sarcastic, joking tone. "Fucker is one of the Undead, of course you're scared."

I smiled. "You know that's not what I mean." I looked up at him. He watched me carefully. "What if I can't handle it?" I asked pathetically.

He sighed, never letting go of my hand. "I know. I'm thinking about that, too. I'm scared too, Bells." He took another deep breath. "I guess if that happens, then it was meant to be. Maybe you're supposed to be with him. Maybe this is all fate, and we're messing with it. I mean, come on. I don't belong with a girl like you."

That was the second time today I'd heard him talk like that. I didn't like it. "No, Jake, that's not true!" I said positively. "What happened to you? Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because I don't trust this!" he exploded. "I've been fooled too many times. I can't tell you how often I thought you were going to forget him and just be with me. Only it never happened - until the other day. We were on the edge so many times, but it was always Cullen! I can tell when you're thinking about him, you know. I know it just from looking at your face. I don't need to be a mind-reader to figure it out. And there we'd be, having fun, joking around, and I'd be on top of the world, and then BAM! I'd look over at you and see that expression, that…" He shook his head. "That expression that said, 'I'm thinking of _him_ now,' and that'd be it. I'd fuckin' crash right back down to earth. So why is now any different?"

"Because now I know I love you!" I cried.

"You're just seeing me in a different light or something, I don't know. I'm gonna crash again, and I'm getting sick of it." He looked up at me, his eyes bloodshot. "You still think of him," he said. "I still see that look on your face."

"I only think of him to think _bad _of him," I said quietly.

"That's funny," he said, and his tone told me he didn't think it was funny at all. "Because your expression is the same. That same old look, the look that says, 'I wish Edward was here.'"

"I can only say I love you so many times, Jake. I don't know how else to convince you that I'm telling the truth."

"I don't know either," he said evenly. "But I guess we're gonna find out the truth tomorrow, come hell or high water."

**Ok, so tell me what you think! Will Bella go back to Edward if she sees him? Will she stay with Jacob like she wants to? Please review, I look forward to hearing from you guys!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Wow! I have to say the vitriol out there for Alice really surprised me. I was sure I was going to get horrible reviews for making her into a villain, but I was so wrong. Lotsa Jacob Black lovers out there! Yay-I'm in good company. **

**So for all of you who are worried that this is going to turn into a Bella/Edward story now, this chapter will answer your questions. Hope you like it! Anything you recognize isn't mine.**

CHAPTER 10

And tomorrow came, along with the high water Jacob had predicted. It was pouring buckets, and I huddled inside my slicker, freezing in the Rabbit as he drove to the Cullen house. He noticed my shivering but didn't pull me close like he usually did. He was a little distant this afternoon, and I wasn't sure if it was because he was nervous with the pack patrolling the woods without him, or because he was worried about Edward and me meeting. Probably it was a little of both.

We rounded the final turn and I could see the hidden driveway up in the distance through the rain-streaked windshield. We were pretty sure Edward would be there, since the pack hadn't been able to locate his scent in the forest around my house. When they had found him yesterday, he had been prowling around Charlie's house waiting for me. They'd warned him away and told him in no uncertain terms that they wouldn't let me see him unless he stayed away from my house.

I couldn't keep from shaking as we turned into the familiar drive. I'd been there so often over the past summer, I could have found my way in my sleep. But I didn't like being here. It held too many reminders of Edward and his family to be comfortable.

Jacob kept a wary eye on me as I sat shivering in the passenger's seat. "You gonna be okay?" he asked, looking sideways at me as he navigated the gravel path.

"Think so," I chattered.

"You'd better _know_ so," he said. I looked at him quickly, ready to snap, but the face that stared back at me stopped me in my tracks. The wolf was trying to get out. I was sure it was the proximity to the vampire that caused it, but I didn't want to be the one to push it.

"Then I _know_ so," I said with more conviction.

"There you go," he said, the wolf retreating somewhat. I glowed under his praise.

The house was in view, and I sucked in my breath as if I'd been injured. He didn't even look at me, but his eyes darkened and his nostrils flared. His hands gripping the wheel turned white. I scrubbed my hands across my face. "Oh my God…" I moaned quietly.

"It's going to be okay, Bella," he said, and his confidence gave me a little strength. I was relieved that I'd insisted he come with me. There was no way I'd have been able to do this alone.

He stopped the car and looked at me. His hand left the wheel and covered mine, which was gripping my knee in a death hold. "I'm here, okay? I'm with you. You can do this," he told me.

"Okay. Thanks, Jake." I looked into his face, considering, then found the strength to ask him, "Can I have a kiss for luck?"

He hadn't kissed me since he'd left to see Edward the previous day, and that kiss had been a disaster. But his eyes softened, dazzling me, and he put one hand on the back of my head, pulling me close.

I was instantly transported to his world, the woodsy world of the werewolf. I could smell the aroma of autumn - leaves and smoke - as his tongue gently probed my mouth. His breath was sweet, like maple syrup, and it flowed over me like a sheet of silk. I sucked his tongue greedily, pulling it into my mouth and massaging it with my own tongue, rubbing back and forth like I couldn't get enough. Tears squeezed from the corners of my eyes as our breath mingled and reached a fever pitch. We were panting when he pulled away, and Jake's eyes were filled with joy.

"Fuck, Bells," he whispered. And then, to my right, I saw movement.

I turned as if a ghost had approached me. Edward stood next to the car, right there in the flesh. So close I could touch him.

Jake whipped the door open and with werewolf speed, was out of the car and standing next to Edward, staring down at him with daggers in his eyes. His chest heaved and his fists were clenched in rage. "I thought I said we'd come to _you_," he growled.

Edward acted like he didn't even know Jacob was there. "Bella," he said reverently.

I opened my door and emerged, reaching out for Jake. I needed him now. I needed his warmth and his strength. His hand was in mine immediately, and Edward looked at our joined hands as if he were looking upon a severed head. He reached for my other hand.

I pulled away instantly, the ice cold flesh making my skin crawl. The aroma of the vampire enveloped me, though, and I was suddenly under his spell. He reached out with the rejected hand and swept it across my jaw, as he'd done so many times before. A chill shivered from where he touched me directly to the center of my chest. The hole threatened to open again.

"Bella, it's so amazing to see you," breathed Edward. "You're so incredibly beautiful. My memory doesn't do you justice."

I could hear Jacob's breathing beside me, frantic breathing through his nose, quickened and angry. I had to be truthful; Edward looked beautiful, as he always did. He looked haunted, as Alice had said, his eyes hollow and black. He wore the same clothes he'd worn the day he'd left me. They were dirty and torn now, and he looked so far from the Edward I'd known eight months ago that I almost didn't recognize him. But he was still Edward, and my heart pounded in my chest as I gazed at his ethereal beauty.

Jacob was staring at me out of the corner of his eye, a look on his face I'd never seen. He wasn't angry, but he was extremely intense. His right hand still held mine and the other was balled into a fist under his right bicep, his forearm across his chest. I knew he was trying with all he was worth not to phase.

I bit my lip as I looked at Jake. We had to get out of here. I turned to Edward. "What did you want to talk to me about, Edward?"

"Ahh," he sighed, and his breath washed over me again, bringing back the memory of his love, how safe I'd felt in it, how complete. "To hear you say my name again is heaven."

I was abruptly pulled out of my reverie with his words. _Damn_ it! How did he bewilder my mind so completely? I knew what I wanted - to leave with Jacob – but Edward was confusing me, making me second guess myself. I gritted my teeth. I _would_ leave with Jacob, and I _wouldn't_ do anything I'd regret. The heat from Jacob's hand flowed into me, centering in my heart. I took courage from it.

"What did you want to talk to me about? You see me; you see that I'm okay. I moved on." I was careful not to say his name.

Edward looked up at Jacob, avoiding the question again. "_Must_ you stand so close?" Edward asked testily. "The odor is nearly overwhelming."

Jake's expression didn't change, but his eyebrows twitched. What was Edward talking about? _What_ odor? To me, Jacob smelled amazing, leaves and smoke and syrup. It made me think again of fall. "He smells incredible," I said in defense of Jacob. Edward stared at me in surprise.

"If you think a wet mongrel smells 'incredible,' you may not be as okay as you think," Edward told me, with a quick lift of his lips in a semblance of the crooked smile I'd dreamt of so many times. I nearly melted again, but I caught myself before I could. _Jake!_ My mind screamed to me. _It's Jake you want!_

"Let's not compare stinks, leech," growled Jacob. "You're pretty pungent yourself. And I'd rather smell like a dog than a rotting corpse."

Ah, so they didn't smell very good to one another. That made sense, actually. If they were mortal enemies, they should have some natural aversion to each other. An unbearable stench was necessary. Funny how neither fragrance offended me.

"You're not answering me," I said to Edward, squeezing Jake's hand in the process. "Tell me why you needed to see me."

"I had to see that you were okay," Edward replied in a pleading tone, his dark, eternal eyes turning to me. "I knew you'd been…catatonic for a time, and I needed to be sure you had recovered. I tried to get Alice to see you, but something is wrong with her visions of you. She can only see flashes of you now, once in awhile, like when you're sleeping or at school. Nothing of the _real_ parts of your life."

Why would that be? I wondered. But just as quickly, I shrugged it off. "I was…in a bad way for awhile after you left," I told him. "But then I started hanging out with Jacob. And now I'm with _him_." I said it as I looked at Edward significantly. "We're together now. So I've moved on." I felt the need to repeat the fact that I'd moved on. He didn't seem to be getting it. He sighed, his breath enveloping me once again and sending me into…

_No_. I pulled control from my core. It was getting easier, resisting his treacherous weapons that he'd explained to me so carefully in the forest early in our relationship.

"But when I first left, Bella," he said, caressing my name on his lips. "You were quite devastated, weren't you?" He sounded apologetic, rueful even. He was sorry he'd left.

I nodded, unwilling to speak about the unspeakable. That time was not something I cared to remember, especially now, with Jacob standing sturdily by my side. Suddenly, Edward flinched visibly, his eyes closing in what looked like pain.

"Edward?" I said, one hand going to his arm in concern. "Are you okay?"

Edward looked at Jacob, naked pleading in his hollow black eyes. "Stop," he begged.

I turned to Jake. "What are you doing?" I asked him, but his face hadn't changed, except for the confused look in his eyes.

"Nothing," he said, the growl nearly absent as he addressed me, his voice innocent.

"Liar!" spat Edward, a hiss bursting from his throat as I recalled Alice's warning that he was prone to rages. His eyes closed again, pain etched in his features.

I looked up at Jake again, only this time his face had changed. One black brow raised, one side of his mouth drew up in a sardonic, amused grin. He huffed once through his nose, a humorless laugh. "That's pretty funny," he commented, his voice as arrogant and nasty as I'd ever heard it.

"What, Jake? What is it?" I asked frantically.

"Your ex doesn't like how you looked the night Sam found you," he informed me, his grin wide now as he shifted his gaze to me. "Shit, that mind-reading thing is true, huh?"

Edward's eyes opened with a growl, and he lunged for Jake. But Jake was faster. "Don't go there, bloodsucker," he warned. "You don't want to push me today."

"Do not speak to Bella in that manner, dog!" Edward snarled. "She deserves better!"

Jacob's eyes narrowed slightly as he turned his head to look at Edward out of the corner of his eyes. "Really?" he asked, a grin playing at the corner of his mouth, his brows raised. "You sure about that?" He smiled for real now, a vicious grin, watching Edward carefully. Edward flinched, dropping to his knees. Jacob laughed out loud, cruel and fierce.

"He doesn't like the way you looked when you first came to see me either, Bells," he informed me. But I couldn't share in Jacob's evil glee. I didn't want pain for Edward. I just wanted him to go away.

"Jake, stop," I said quietly.

Abruptly, Edward pulled himself together and stood before me once again, the pain in his features absent. Jacob let go of my hand and pointed a finger into Edward's chest. "You're damn right she deserves better, parasite. Better than you. You see what you did to her? That's on you, vamp, not me. She's better now than she ever was with you. She's with me now, get it? You can go. You saw what you needed to see."

Edward had recovered, so I knew Jacob was no longer thinking of things that disturbed him. "What I need is for Bella to tell me herself," he said, dignified.

"She already told you," Jake snarled.

"I did," I told Edward, avoiding his name again. "I told you twice."

"But Bella, we were so much to each other," he pleaded. I felt myself being pulled toward him again. That look in his eyes was truly irresistible. I swallowed once, anxious. He was drawing me in…

Jacob hadn't reached for me again after he'd let go of me, and Edward grabbed both of my hands in his. The iciness of his fingers seemed to fade as I looked into his face, full of longing and love. His lips quivered, coming closer…and I felt my head fall back in surrender as he covered my mouth with his.

And suddenly, without warning, a snarl like I'd never heard from Edward ripped out of him. His frozen mouth latched onto my neck, and I felt his teeth slice into me.

In the same instant, shocked as I was, I was aware of Jake exploding beside me and the russet wolf was there, leaping sideways in front of me and knocking Edward away. I stepped back, cowering, my hand going to my neck in complete disbelief. Edward Cullen had bitten me!

The roar that came from the wolf was deafening, and suddenly there were five – no, six – no, seven wolves surrounding Edward and me. I reached behind me for the car door handle, pulled it, and hastily backed inside, closing it securely behind me. I watched, terrified, as Edward lowered himself into a hunting crouch.

My hand stayed plastered to my jugular as my mind screamed, _He bit me! He BIT me!_ My breathing quickened until I was sobbing brokenly, though no tears came. I was going to turn now, _now_ when I no longer wanted it. The irony was lost on me as I broke down convulsively. I'd never be able to be with Jacob. The tears finally flowed as I lamented the loss of the wolf, the boy, the man I'd come to love so completely.

Outside the car, the growls and snarling continued, but I couldn't watch. They _had_ to kill him now. He'd bitten me; he'd totally broken the Treaty. I didn't want to see it, I didn't want to hear it. I covered my ears with my palms and continued to cry bitter tears. They might as well kill me, too. I'd be one of the enemy soon. I was beyond inconsolable.

Abruptly, I realized something. There was no burning sensation at the site of the wound. No intractable pain at all. There was nothing. I didn't feel the fire I'd felt with James. There was no river of agonizing torture coursing through my veins. What had happened? Why didn't I feel anything? Wasn't the venom doing its job? The venom…_the venom_!

Had Jacob phased so quickly that Edward hadn't the opportunity to inject the venom into the bite? I was under the impression that venom always coated his teeth, and I'd never really thought about it until now - but if that were the case, wouldn't I have been exposed every time he'd kissed me? But I hadn't been, or I'd be a vampire by now. No, there must be something that had to occur to actually make the venom begin to flow. Had Jake stopped that process?

If that were the case, he'd saved my life yet again. That was three times now in less than a week. Even Edward didn't have _that_ track record. I tried to stop crying, to really feel the bite. I wanted to be sure I wasn't fooling myself. I wanted to be sure there really was no pain at all.

I sat still, hiccupping from the tears and really concentrating on the bite. I was bleeding from the crescent shaped wound, but there truly was no pain. There was no venom in the bite, I was sure of it. Thanking heaven that Jacob's car was so old, I cranked the window down and shouted to the wolves.

"Jake! Sam! There's no venom in the bite! He didn't have time…"

I was cut off as I saw the giant red wolf's dripping jaws poised over Edward's neck. They had him down. They were about to finish him off.

The red wolf stopped in his actions, his eyes - Jacob's eyes - flicking to me for a split second. I thrust my bloody hand out for him to see. "There's no pain, Jake! No burning! He didn't have time to inject the venom. You don't have to kill him!"

The deep gray wolf huffed in disgust, his enormous paw holding Edward's chest down. Of course Paul wouldn't want to spare the vampire; it simply wasn't in the nature of the violent wolf. But a wolf I surmised was Leah, a pearl gray, smaller and leaner wolf, pushed through the crowd to the enormous black wolf, Sam, who was overseeing the entire attack. She looked at him tensely, and his gaze shifted to the wolves immediately surrounding Edward's supine form.

"Kill me!" Edward pleaded. "Just kill me! I can't live without her." Edward's eyes shifted to mine. "I'm intensely sorry, Bella," he choked brokenly. "I thought I could control the bloodlust, but it's been so long since I've fed…I…" He was cut off by a snarl from the dark gray wolf.

The wolves were backing off as a group now, and it was obvious that Paul was furious. Though Edward had bitten me, he hadn't killed or changed me, and evidently that was reason enough for Sam to spare his life. Paul wasn't happy with the turn of events and he was letting it be known loudly. A harsh bark from Sam silenced him.

But the wolves weren't finished. They continued to pace in circles around Edward. Sam backed into the woods and returned almost immediately wearing dirty shorts that I now noticed were tied to all their ankles. I remembered Jacob pointing out the cord he used to tie his shorts to his leg and I saw the little rolls tied to each of the werewolves' rear paws, now that I was looking for them. Even Jacob had one, and he'd exploded out of his clothes when Edward had bitten me. The only explanation was that Jake had taken every precaution, tying shorts to his ankle just in case he'd had to phase fast. Sam stood before Edward, who continued to lie supine on the grass looking completely miserable.

"Cullen, according to the terms of the Treaty, you should be eliminated. You bit a human. But because she is not experiencing the venom symptoms, we have made the choice to let you go. You, however, have no choice in this matter. You must go, and you must not return. We will know if you come back, and at that time you will be dealt with accordingly. We cannot risk that you may return and lose control in this way again. By rights we should eliminate you. But we have a long-standing relationship with your coven and especially with your creator. We choose to honor that relationship and allow you to continue to live. You have until midnight to leave the Washington area. We prefer that you reside out of the country from now on, and we don't mean Canada; I'm talking about another _continent_. We would like you to exile yourself to Europe. This should not be difficult for you in the grand scheme of things; your family has plenty of money, and ties all over the world. You will send word when you have arrived in your new home, informing the tribe of your whereabouts." Sam was dignified, despite his shabby clothing, as he announced this treatise.

Edward stood slowly. "I don't want to live," he said, defeated. "If I can't have Bella, I would rather be dead."

"I'm sorry, we cannot perform that service for you without harming the relationship we have with the rest of your coven. If you wish death, I advise you to find someone else to deliver it. You will be out of Washington State by midnight and we must receive word that you are in Europe by the end of the week, is that clearly understood?"

Edward nodded, his eyes fixed on the ground in front of him. "Can I speak with Bella privately?" he asked.

The red wolf stood higher than Edward's head and his growl was terrifying. I had no intention of allowing it, even if Sam had agreed (though I was sure he wouldn't, given the current circumstances). "I think Jacob has answered your question," Sam intoned formally.

Edward turned to me as I sat in the car, the window half-down. "Bella, I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am. I completely lost control, and I will never forgive myself or forget this breach. I hope you will forgive me someday, but I intend to follow Sam's order and remove myself from your presence. Even if I'm someday forgiven, I will not tempt myself with the opportunity to repeat this reprehensible offense." He turned to the red wolf. "I am sorry to you as well, Jacob. Thank you for saving her from me."

He hung his head as he slowly made for the trees.

I watched him go with a combination of relief and sadness. I felt both reactions for the same reason: I was finally rid of his possession of me – I felt it; I knew it. As he left, I could feel the hold he had on my heart pulling slightly, like a thread, and then breaking completely. The feeling was gone; the feeling of frantic longing, of undiminished obsession. That part of my life was now over, and it was both a wistful feeling and a relieved feeling.

Jacob in wolf form watched as Edward disappeared into the trees. He looked toward Sam and seemed to want to say something. As I watched them, Jake shimmered back into his human form. He stood with his back to me, completely naked, quickly untying the shorts from his ankle with practiced movements while he spoke urgently to Sam. He pulled them on as I watched, my mouth hanging open.

"You're right," Sam said in a loud voice. "Paul and Jared! Follow him until he's out of Washington!"

Two wolves, one dark gray and the other brown, detached themselves from the pack and ambled into the woods, presumably to follow Edward out of the state.

I stared after them, still unrecovered from the shock of seeing Jacob phase from wolf to human and then stand there naked, completely natural and relaxed. It was incredible to see the reversal of the transformation. The act seemed so intimate, I felt as if I'd witnessed something almost sexual.

Jacob turned toward me and walked back to the car, his eyes on the ground. In my mind, I thought maybe he was embarrassed that he'd inadvertently appeared nude in front of me, but he seemed casual as he walked over. There was no embarrassment in his moves, but he still didn't look at me.

He got into the car and stared out the windshield as if he were afraid to meet my gaze. He asked, "Are you really okay?" I began to answer as he finally turned his dark eyes to me.

His unsettling gasp stilled the words in my throat.

"Holy shit," he whispered. I stared at him, watching a red flush creep up his face from his bare chest. His lips fell open and his eyes stared at me, his pupils dilating so there was almost no iris left surrounding them.

"Jake?" I managed, my hand going to his arm in concern.

"Bella," he breathed tenderly. His hand went to my neck and he touched it gingerly. "Are you sure this is okay?"

"It's okay, Jake, I promise. I've been bitten before; you know that. I'd feel it right away if he'd been able to get any venom into me. Are…are _you_ okay?"

"More okay than I've ever been as long as you're okay," he said, gazing into my eyes adoringly.

I watched him warily. He was looking at me like he'd never seen me before. As I sat looking back at him, I started to feel the thread that had just broken between Edward and me coming back.

"Jacob, he's coming back," I said urgently.

"Who?" asked Jacob, his face suddenly confused.

"Edward!" I said.

"He's not coming back, Bells. Jared and Paul are following him. Embry is in communication with them; he would tell us if he was coming back."

"I can _feel_ him!" I explained, my hand going to my chest in an unconscious gesture. It was getting stronger. It was more like a rope now than a thread. Or a cable. Or…a chain…

I looked out the car window, agitated, staring into the forest, trying to watch for his return. I couldn't see anything but I knew that didn't mean much. My weak human eyes missed things all the time. "Jacob, can you see him? Ask Embry if he's here!"

"Bella, he's _not_ here. He's on his way to Europe. Listen to me, Bells. I have to tell you something."

I couldn't pay any attention to Jacob when I was panicking about Edward. Why wasn't he as freaked out about this as I was? I was finally rid of Edward, and now the hold he'd had on me, the hold I'd thought was broken, was suddenly growing stronger and stronger…

Jacob watched me carefully. He put a finger under my chin and made me look at him, then took both my hands in his. His hands were hotter than I'd ever felt them, and their temperature caused me to abruptly become completely absorbed in what Jacob was saying. I stared into his eyes, unblinking, as he looked back at me.

"Bella, do you know what imprinting is?" he asked.

**Remember, I love reviews!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Okay, so I'm glad everyone seemed to like the imprinting. Stephenie made it so hard for all of us FanFiction authors! We've had to come up with some crazy stuff, and this is mine. Hope you guys like it! I'm doing better keeping up with answering your reviews, but as always some people don't have their PM turned on, so shouts out to Pinkchic, Lady-Isowen and "Guests" for their reviews. Hope I didn't miss anyone! Love them, keep 'em coming! **

**As usual, nothing you recognize is mine.**

CHAPTER 11

_Jacob watched me carefully. He put a finger under my chin and made me look at him, then took both my hands in his. His hands were hotter than I'd ever felt them, and their temperature caused me to abruptly become completely absorbed in what he was saying. I stared into his eyes, unblinking, as he looked back at me._

"_Bella, do you know what imprinting is?" he asked._

"Imprinting?" I asked in confusion. That was a biology term, wasn't it? Some kind of baby bird thing. "You mean like with ducklings?"

Jake huffed a laugh. "No, no. Not with ducklings. Bella, it's a way some animals find their mates. It's the way…the way some _werewolves_ find their mates."

"Their _mates_?" I asked, completely mystified. "What are you talking about?"

"You've seen Sam and Emily, right? How devoted they are to each other, how in love they are?"

Just thinking of Sam and Emily embarrassed me. Their love was so obvious, it was as if you were witnessing something private. It wasn't nauseating in any way; I never found myself thinking, _Get a room!_ It was the way I thought love was supposed to be; perfect love, fairy tale love. I nodded.

"That's because of the imprint," Jacob explained. "Sam imprinted on Emily the first time he saw her after he phased for the first time. It caused a ton of grief for him, but once the imprint happens, there's no turning back."

"Grief? Why would falling in love so deeply cause anyone grief?" I asked, confused.

"It's a long story, and I'll tell you about it someday. But Bella," he paused, his eyes never leaving my face. "Did you hear what I said? About no turning back?"

My eyebrows met in confusion. Why was he telling me this and why was he attaching such importance to it? I didn't need to know this; it was pack lore, and I was an outsider, despite my assertion to Emily yesterday that I wasn't. I didn't need to know all the legends.

"Okay?" I said, both verifying that I'd heard and asking him why he was telling me. I didn't want to talk about this now. I was worried…I knew Edward had to be just past the tree line. He was waiting to ambush me, to try to turn me again, to…

"The reason I'm telling you this is because…I imprinted."

Before I even had a second to think, my lips spat out, "Who is she?"

He grinned, and it took over his entire face. He even laughed, which I thought was particularly cruel. I didn't want Edward any more, and now Jake was saying he was unavailable, 'no turning back.' I failed to see the humor in the situation.

"She's you, Bells!" he laughed joyfully.

Now I was really mystified. "But how?" I asked in confusion. "You said that Sam imprinted on Emily the first time he saw her after the first time he phased. For us, that would have been…back when I came to the rez on that rainy Saturday a month or so ago. You've seen me dozens of times since then. Why wouldn't you have already imprinted?"

"I don't know," Jacob replied, shaking his head but never taking his eyes off my face. The love I saw there was almost palpable. "Maybe because you saw me phase, you had to see me phase back. Maybe because Edward had such a hold on you, you were blocking the imprint."

Blocking. Of course, I'd heard _that_ one before. I'd somehow blocked Edward's intrusive gift since Day One – Edward had called it a glitch in my system. But I shook my head stubbornly. I could still feel that pull on my heart; the pull that had been absent - taking my heart with it - when Edward had left me in September. It worried me, that tugging on my heart. I didn't like the feeling; I associated it with Edward and my obsession with him and all he stood for.

"I'll ask Sam," Jacob announced. "Let's go talk to him."

I pulled my hands away and crossed my arms over my chest. "No!" I protested. "It's personal!"

Jake guffawed, like every word out of my mouth was hilarious. "Personal!" he spluttered. "Baby, there's no such thing as personal anymore. I'm a member of the pack. They know what my thoughts are. They'd all know the minute I phased anyway. C'mon, Sam knows a lot more about this than I do."

"_You_ go talk to him. I'm embarrassed," I said stubbornly.

He looked at me tenderly, appearing to completely understand. "Okay, Bells. You stay right here. Don't go anywhere, okay?"

I shrugged. "Where would I go?" I asked rhetorically as he opened the car door.

I watched him jog across the Cullen's lawn toward Sam, and as I did, something strange happened. The draw on my heart became stronger as he retreated. Was that tugging sensation for Edward? It couldn't be. Edward was nowhere to be seen. Jacob had said that Embry would let us know if Paul and Jared let him out of their sight. So where was that dragging on my center coming from? Could it be Jake?

I saw him begin talking to Sam, and Sam reached out, shaking Jacob's hand and then pulling him in for a hug. Congratulating him. They started to walk away, Sam's arm around Jake's shoulder, lost in conversation. The tugging got tighter as they walked further from me.

Almost without conscious thought, I pulled the handle on the car door and before I knew it, I found myself going after – no, _running_ after Jake and Sam.

When I got closer, the pull slackened. I was fascinated by this new development. I'd only truly felt the thread with Edward when he left me after my disastrous birthday, and it's what caused the hole in the first place. Then I'd felt it again a few minutes ago when he was leaving for good. But this! This was like a metal cable being pulled by a winch. Like some unseen force was cranking a handle that tightened this hold between us – some supernatural compulsion that wouldn't allow me to let him out of my sight.

I caught up with him, grabbing his arm from behind, and like he already knew I was there, he reached back without looking and took my hand. I interrupted their conversation, "Jake, I couldn't let you walk away from me. There's something…an invisible cable or something attached between us. It pulled me…"

Sam smiled at me. "Emily calls it her link. When she tells me the link is getting tight, that means I have to get back to her as soon as I can. Sometimes I can't, but I know what she means. I can feel it too."

"Does Jared have something like that with Kim?" Jacob asked Sam.

"Jared and Kim?" I asked, confused. "Are they imprinted too?"

"Jared imprinted on Kim right away," Sam answered. "As soon as he laid eyes on her after the first time he phased. Maybe that's another reason, Jacob. I've never heard of anyone imprinting outside the tribe."

"You think that's why it took so long for me?" Jacob asked.

Sam considered it for a moment. "I really don't know. What you said about phasing makes sense, but so does the other thing you said, about her being so tied to Edward that she was blocking the imprint. Or it _could_ be that she's an outsider." Sam sounded doubtful on the latter reason.

"You know about Edward's ability to read minds, right?" I asked Sam. He nodded. "Well, I don't know if Jake ever told you, but Edward couldn't read _my_ mind. He always used to say I was blocking him. He thought it was a glitch in my system. Maybe that has something to do with it."

Sam nodded, his face contemplative. "We should talk to the elders, see if this phenomenon has happened in the past," he said thoughtfully. "I've never heard of the imprint not being immediate. But it's obvious it's real. You feel the link, and that confirms it. Do you feel it, Jacob?"

"I feel _something_," Jake answered. "I know that I imprinted, if that's what you mean. She looks like an angel to me. Almost like she's glowing." He looked down at me, the love in his face nearly overwhelming.

"That's the imprint, alright," Sam confirmed. "It gets a little dimmer over time, or maybe you get used to it, but it never goes away. It's useful for finding her in a crowd."

Jake and Sam laughed, and then Jake turned to me, concern flooding his features.

"Are you okay here, Bells? We should really wait until Paul and Jared get back so we know the bloodsucker is really on his way off the continent. I know this place holds some pretty hard memories for you, so if you need to get out of here…"

I cut him off. "As long as you stay with me, I'll be okay, Jake," I told him.

He pulled me close, enveloping me in his ultra-warm embrace and sheltering me from the drizzle. "I'm here, Baby," he whispered into my hair.

Jared and Paul were back by nightfall. They'd phased in the woods before they returned, and they reported that they had observed Edward purchase a direct flight ticket, one-way from SEA-TAC Airport to London, Heathrow and proceed through security. They'd waited until the flight left with him on it before returning to the Cullen house. Nothing was said about his actions or his supposed state of mind when he departed the airport, and I was surprised to find that I didn't even care. The iron-fisted grip he'd had on me for this past year-plus had departed with him.

The pack congratulated us, and there were hugs and back-slapping all around. Jake looked incredible to me, his dazzling grin flashing again and again as he accepted his friends' good wishes. The joy in his black eyes was bordering on tangible, and I wanted to catch it and hold it forever. As I held his hand in the darkening yard of the Cullens, his touch grew warmer and warmer. It seemed to permeate my being entirely, ending up low in my belly and settling there, a satisfied feeling that I couldn't seem to hide. I was sure my face was as blissful as his.

Sam insisted that we go back to the reservation and talk to the elders about the imprint and why it had taken so long. I didn't even care why. All I wanted was to have Jake to myself, to hold him and talk to him and plan with him. But Jacob was anxious to find out what had been the delay in imprinting, and he told me that Charlie was at Billy's so if I felt uncomfortable, I could hang out there until they were finished.

I felt completely intimidated to meet with the council but I didn't want to go to Billy's either, so I asked Jacob if it was okay if I visited Emily while they met with the elders. Sam thought that was a good idea, and we drove there in the Rabbit while the pack phased and followed in wolf form.

Sam and the rest beat us there, because the Rabbit had to stay on roads, but the wolves could cut through the forest. When we arrived at Emily's, the entire pack was there including the Clearwaters. Sam and Emily came out to greet us, and Emily's effusive welcome brought tears to my eyes.

"Bella, my sister!" she cried, gathering me in a hug and actually lifting me and swinging me around. "You're truly a wolf girl now!" She laughed with delight. "Who would have thought it was possible? I'm so excited to have you in the family!" I didn't think I could be any happier than I'd been when Jacob told me about imprinting, but I was wrong. I was getting happier by the minute. The more contact I had with these people, the more elated I became. I was almost afraid to let Jake go see the council. In my experience, happiness was short lived and a disaster was always lurking around the corner. I was sure that the delay in the imprint, or the fact that I was an outsider, or some other reason, would abolish the imprint somehow and leave me with this cable from my heart stretching to nowhere. I didn't think I could take it if that happened.

Jacob, Sam, and the rest of the pack left to talk to the council, leaving Emily and me to visit. I started by thanking her for her help.

"I really wanted to leave Billy's house yesterday and go tell Edward about the Treaty," I told her. "Thanks again for telling me the truth."

Emily was confused. "What in the world would make you believe that the pack would kill him for fraternizing with you? What put that thought in your head?" she asked.

"Not what, who." I answered, disgusted. "It was Edward's sister, Alice. She friend-requested me on Facebook and like an idiot I accepted. She told me all this nonsense, and she has a way of making things sound really believable. Emily, she was my best girlfriend ever since I started dating Edward. I couldn't believe she'd lie to me."

"It's always sad when someone doesn't live up to your expectations," Emily sighed. She was careful not to throw Alice under the bus, and I recognized that technique from my mother, Renee. As flaky as Renee was, she'd never badmouth a friend. It was her policy that if I ever made up with the person, I'd hold it against her for vilifying my friend. It was something I'd learned from her long ago but failed time after time to put into practice. I recognized the kind action in Emily, but I knew it was wasted. I'd never forgive Alice for lying to me and almost causing me to ignore Jacob's directive.

"Sisters before misters," I said sagely, and Emily laughed.

"Well, we're truly sisters now, Bella. Our men are brothers, so that makes us sisters, and eventually real sisters-in-law."

My eyes grew round. "Really?" I said in wonderment. "We'll be sisters-in-law?"

"When we marry our wolves," she smiled. "Why do you seem so surprised? Jacob must've told you, imprinting is for keeps."

"For keeps," I repeated, enchanted. "I can really count on that? Jacob and I will be husband and wife someday?"

"Of course," Emily said. "Can you imagine it any other way?"

I couldn't, but that didn't mean anything. In my limited experience, wanting and getting were two very different concepts. "Not really," I admitted.

"Neither can I," Emily said. "Although I must say, I'll be glad when Jake steps up and takes Alpha from Sam. I hate that he's always in charge."

"_What_?" I asked, entirely taken aback. "Did you say Jake will take Alpha?"

"You don't know about that?" asked Emily sheepishly. "Oh, God, I'm sorry. Maybe he wanted to tell you himself."

"Tell me what?" I screeched.

"Well, Jacob has wolf blood on both sides. His mom is from the Ateara line and Billy is obviously from the Black line. Sam only has wolf blood on the Uley side. Jake's great-grandfather, Ephraim Black, was the last wolf chief. So that makes Jake the Alpha. Only he didn't want it. He hates the wolf, Bella. He hates the way it rules his life. He'd give anything to go back."

I knew that already. I knew how Jake felt about the wolf. But maybe things were different now, now that he'd imprinted. I couldn't conceive of my peaceful, beautiful, radiant Jacob being the chief of a tribe of warriors. I nodded, looking up at Emily.

"I know he hates it," I told her. "But maybe he'll change his mind. We're connected so deeply now, I can't imagine he would want to give that up. If it weren't for the wolf, we wouldn't have that."

"That's true. I'm still so excited for you guys, Bella! Kim doesn't come around often, because her mom doesn't really like Jared so usually Jared goes over to her place, trying to win her mother over. But you and I can become best friends. It will be so nice to have another woman to talk to!"

I laughed, delighted with her enthusiasm. "It must be tough to be the only girl among so many men," I said.

Emily sighed, her happy face suddenly gone. "Except Leah," she said sadly.

"What about Leah?" I asked, mystified.

"You don't know about Sam and Leah? Wow, Jake really _is_ a gentleman, isn't he?" I wasn't sure what she meant, so I didn't answer, and she sighed again. "Leah and Sam dated ever since she was a freshman in high school. They were in love," Emily began.

I gasped. Leah and _Sam_?

"I know, right?" Emily said. "Until he phased one day out of the blue. She didn't know, and he was so freaked out he didn't phase back for, like, two weeks. Everyone thought something happened to him. Leah and Sam's mom had the police out looking for him in the woods. It was a nightmare."

"I had no idea," I whispered.

"And you can't tell anyone about the wolf, either. The only way Sam even knew he wasn't going nuts was old Quil came over to his house to see his mom, and Sam shook his hand. Quil thought he was touching a hot iron. He took Sam to the council and they figured it out. So then Sam would phase now and then, whenever he was mad or a vampire was around. When he was phased, Leah couldn't reach him, and Sam couldn't say where he was. There were a lot of fights, a lot of misunderstandings that really couldn't be cleared up. But they were trying to make it work. Then I walked in one day, and that was all she wrote."

"Sam imprinted on you," I said, inflectionless.

"Yep. Leah lost it. Even I didn't like it. Sure, I'd always thought Sam was hot, but he was Leah's _boyfriend_, so he was strictly off limits. Until Sam explained it to me. And then phased while I was standing too close, earning me this." She gestured to her scarred cheek. "The reaction Sam had to what he'd done to me won me over. I'll love him until the day I die. And Leah's left out in the cold."

"That's terrible," I said softly. "Poor Leah."

"I hate it, but there's nothing I can do. You understand, don't you? You don't hate me now?"

"It's not your fault, Emily. It's not even Sam's fault."

"I know," she said, dejected. "It's the fault of the stupid genetics."

"Genetics?" I asked. Now I was really confused.

"Yeah, you know. To make stronger werewolves. Or to pass the gene on in the best way."

"_What_? Pass on the _gene_?"

"God, Bella, didn't Jake tell you anything?" she asked, exasperated.

"Well, he only imprinted on me about two hours ago, so no. Are you saying that this is all about who can make the best wolf puppies?"

Emily laughed loudly. "Bella, they're not puppies! They're babies. And yes, that's why. So you must be pretty good in the reproduction department, or Jake would've imprinted on someone else."

Was she kidding? She didn't seem to be. "But I don't want babies! I'm only eighteen!" I cried.

"No one says you have to have them right away," Emily said reasonably. "I've been with Sam for over two years and we're not even married yet. You've got plenty of time."

"What if I don't want kids at all?" I asked. "Is that not my choice anymore?"

Emily shrugged. "I don't know. But you love Jake, right? And you'll want to give him what he wants, won't you? I think even if you don't want kids, you'll change your mind for him."

I thought about Jacob and his smile, his good looks, his infectious laugh and his positivity. Yes. I'd do anything for him. Anything he wanted.

"You're right," I said in amazement. I was so enchanted with the idea that I began imagining myself pregnant with his baby, carrying his offspring for him, presenting him with a little piece of the two of us. I'd never had these fantasies with Edward, because there was no way I could give birth to his child. It was impossible. But with Jake…

Emily laughed at the enraptured expression on my face and patted my hand. "I thought so," she said.

Human howling and loud footsteps announced their arrival an hour or so later. Emily and I had prepared four giant pans of lasagna along with salad and garlic bread for the pack. When they entered the house and Sam came to Emily, Jacob came straight to me. He enveloped me in his warm embrace, leaning his head down to me. I stood on tiptoe and raised my lips to his. Our mouths met, and Jake swung us around so his back was to the crowd in the kitchen. No one could see us as we eagerly tasted one another. We'd been apart much too long. I pulled back and traced his lips with the tip of my tongue, and he moaned quietly into my mouth. We didn't stop until we heard someone behind Jake conspicuously clearing his throat.

We turned back to the group amid laughter from the guys, and I was sure my face was beet red. Emily and I proceeded to serve the lasagna. We each had one square, and the pack devoured the rest.

"So what did the council say?" Emily asked when dinner was finished. We didn't dare ask while they were inhaling their food.

"They think Bella was blocking it. They never heard of it before, but there was one incident in the past where a wolf imprinted on an outsider. It worked out fine," Sam answered.

"I still think it easily could have been something else," Jacob insisted, with the air of someone continuing a previous conversation.

"I think with the evidence, this is probably the most likely scenario," Sam said.

"Why are you so bothered by it, Black?" asked Paul around a mouthful of bread. "Who cares? You're imprinted now, aren't you?"

Jacob snorted grumpily. "It bugs the shit outta me that Cullen is involved in this. I hate the fact that that fucking leech has so much power."

"Don't think of it like that, Jake," said Seth eagerly. Seth was a happy kid, never had a bad word for anyone. "Think of it like Bella has this freaky-strong mind that can block crazy, supernatural stuff. It's kinda cool if you think of it that way."

Jake grinned at him. "Leave it to Sunshine over there to put a positive spin on it," he laughed.

Seth laughed too. He seemed to like the gentle ribbing of his pack brothers. Leah, however, was morosely silent. I thought we should probably shelve the imprint talk for awhile. I put a hand on Jake's knee, and he looked at me immediately, a questioning look on his face, then a look of understanding. He'd always been good at reading me, and today was no exception.

"So, it's a night for celebration!" Jake said excitedly, changing the subject. "The bloodsuckers are gone – hopefully for good. We won't be waiting for the other shoe to fall anymore. I doubt they'll be back here until we're all long gone!"

"We should build a bonfire tonight on the cliffs!" added Jared.

"Yeah, we can let Bella light it," joked Embry. That even got a laugh from Leah.

**K, that's it. Love to hear from you – tell me what you think!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Sorry if I gave the impression after my last chapter that it WAS the last chapter. It wasn't. I'm nowhere near done. Sorry if you were confused. **

**Thank you all for taking time out to review! I love to read everyone's opinion, so here's to you guys - appreciate it!**

**In this chap, we have a glimpse into pack life and the imprint. Remember, Bella is still in a fragile emotional state, so cut her just a little slack if you can ;) . Anything recognizable is not mine.**

CHAPTER 12

Jacob and I were on our way back to Charlie's house in the Rabbit. We'd decided to postpone the bonfire until the weekend; after all, everyone except Sam and Emily had school in the morning. The pack members were all going to be in school for the first time in months since the vampires were all gone. Unbeknownst to me, the members of the pack had taken turns playing hooky from school. At least one would ditch every day and run perimeters with Sam, and sometimes two or more would be absent depending on the situation. When it had gotten especially hairy with Victoria, the pack members had been absent from school more than they attended it.

When we got to Charlie's, the cruiser wasn't there. I didn't think Charlie was working the night shift, so I was surprised not to see the familiar car. Jake and I went into the dark house and for once I wasn't wary when I unlocked the door and turned on the light. Charlie wasn't there, but there was a note on the kitchen table.

_Bells – Sue is still a little scared without Harry in the house. I'm gonna stay with her one more night. I'll see you tomorrow for dinner. Call me when you get in so I know you got home okay._

_Love, Dad_

"What's with Sue?" I asked Jake. She always had seemed so level-headed to me, so down to earth. Was she really scared without Harry in the house?

Jake, who was standing behind me as I sat at the table, rested his forearms on my shoulders and leaned down to me. "Bells, think about it," he said. "She just lost her husband unexpectedly. Her two kids phased in front of him and caused him to have a heart attack. She's absolutely freaked out right about now. Charlie is probably the best thing for her; big tough cop, completely normal, nothing supernatural about him. I'm sure it's comforting to have him there.

"I didn't think of it like that," I admitted. "You're right, Charlie's a good man to have around. He doesn't complain and he's always there to help."

"Yeah, you're lucky, Bells. Your dad is pretty cool." This was a high compliment coming from Jacob, and I smiled at him, standing up and facing him.

"So what's your story then, Big Spoon? You gonna stay here and protect me?"

"If you're inviting, I'm accepting," he grinned.

My attitude turned serious for a second. "Honestly, Jake, I don't know if I could let you go home now. What are we gonna do tomorrow, when Charlie is back and you can't stay the night?"

He dipped his knees, bringing us to eye level. "We'll figure something out, Baby. Trust me, I don't want to leave either." He kissed my lips softly, then backed off and pulled me up the stairs. I called Charlie from my cell on the way.

"Bells? You get home okay?" he asked when he picked up.

"Yep, I'm here, got your note. Is Sue okay?" I asked.

"She'll be alright, she's just a little on edge. It's a helluva thing."

"I know, Dad. Tell her I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

"Nah, they're more organized than the FBI here on the rez. They got dinners for her and the kids until Christmas. The house is getting cleaned every day. She'll be okay, like I said. I'll be able to come home tomorrow." There was a pause. "How's your burns?" he asked, like a dad is supposed to.

"Burns?" I couldn't remember what he was talking about until Jacob whispered Victoria's name in my ear. "Oh, yeah! They're almost gone, Dad. I forgot about them."

"Okay, that's good," he commented mildly. "Well, I'll see you at dinner tomorrow, Bells."

"Yeah, bye Dad," I said, hanging up.

"You didn't mention that I was over here planning on stealing your innocence," Jacob said with mock severity.

"No, I guess we can't do that tonight. Too bad for you," I joked. I grabbed my bathroom stuff and disappeared to do my nightly routine. When I got back to the bedroom, Jake took his turn in there. While he was gone, I changed into my pajamas, fleece Capri pants and a t-shirt. I snuggled under the covers, making sure I left enough blankets for him.

I knew he was coming before he arrived from the pull I could feel even now. The taut drag slackened as he came closer to me. I didn't even have to look and I knew he was back in the room. Without turning, I said, "God, Jake, it's so weird! I can literally _feel_ where you are. What will it be like when we're both at school tomorrow? I don't know if I can handle it.

I felt the bed dip and knew he was next to me. His burly arms pulling me closer confirmed it. "I know, Bells," he said, his hot breath on the back of my neck making me tingle. "I don't think I wanna know what that's like, us being that far apart."

I sighed, rolling over so I could see his face. "It's almost unbelievable, isn't it?" I asked. "The whole imprinting thing?"

"You're having trouble believing that, but werewolves and vampires… that's no problem, huh?" He grinned his perfect grin at me.

"Well, I wasn't really…_involved_ in all that. I mean, this is affecting _me_. I can _feel_ it! It just seems so crazy. How strong is it if it even sucks me in?"

His arms twined around me, pulling me against his bare chest. "How strong am I?" he laughed. "I suck you in, don't I?"

"You do," I confirmed. I pulled his face closer to mine. For a brief instant, I felt his breath on my parted lips, and then his mouth was on mine. His tongue was in my mouth immediately, no preliminaries this time. There was no hesitation; he wasn't holding back at all. Was it the imprint – because he felt so sure in my love, he didn't want to curb his actions? I responded eagerly, burying my fist in his soft, black hair and pulling him, if possible, closer. He inhaled sharply and drew back, running his nose across my cheek and down to my neck.

"Bells," he said, his breath quick and hot. "I don't know if I can…if I can restrain myself. The imprint…you're right, it's too strong."

"Should we stop?" I asked him, panting.

He pushed himself up on his arms, away from me. "Bells, we _have_ to stop," he choked out. "I won't be able to hold back. I don't want to push you."

"But you aren't pushing me!" I insisted. "I love you, I want to show it."

"No, Bella. No. Not this way. When we're both ready, okay?" He sat up, swinging his feet over the side of the bed and resting his head in his hands. "Jesus, I had no idea…" he said under his breath. "Why didn't someone tell me?"

"Why didn't someone tell you what?" I asked.

"That this was so _strong_," he said with a deep sigh. "Jesus, it's like 100 times stronger than it was the other night."

I thought for a second. Maybe it was what Emily had said about the imprinting being about procreation that made it so hard to resist. I was feeling it too. So now our "urges" would be stronger? Like this wasn't already hard enough?

"Um, Emily said something about the imprinting being about making better puppies…I mean, baby werewolves. I mean, babies. Maybe that's why?"

He turned to look at me. "Wow, Em's got a big mouth," he commented. "I didn't think she'd tell you about that, or I would've told you first."

"She was being nice!" I protested. He better _not_ say anything bad about my big sister.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "You're right, it's not Em's fault. Do you think that's it? It's all about making babies?"

"It makes sense," I said. "But God! We're kids! We can't have babies yet!"

"You don't have to tell me, Bells. Though I don't think we have to have babies right away - or ever if you don't want to."

"Can we, like, use birth control?" I asked him, my face turning cherry red due to the awkwardness of the situation.

"Condoms don't work for us, according to Sam," Jake said, his face flushing as well. He didn't want to discuss this any more than I did. "They, like, melt or something." He wouldn't look at me.

"So what do Sam and Emily and Jared and Kim do?" I asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"Emily and Kim are on the pill," answered Jake, completely mortified.

"Well," I began, drawing the word out. I really didn't want to go on the pill, but I didn't want to get pregnant, either.

Jake turned completely around so he was facing me, his knee bent on the bed in front of him. "Bells, I'm not going to have you do anything you don't want to do. We can wait until you're ready for that, or until we're married if that's what you want."

I was touched by his concern. Was this really his attitude when last night and two nights ago he was trying to convince me to make love to him? Was the imprint that profound and life altering that he had changed _this_ completely? "Jake, that's really sweet," I said. "But I don't want to wait. I just don't know if I want to take the pill."

He put his arms around me. "Then we'll wait until you decide. I don't want to push anything."

His scent overtook me and the warmth of his skin permeated my t-shirt. I didn't even think about it; I wrapped my arms around his neck and thrust my tongue into his mouth. I didn't get very far, though. "Baby, seriously," he said, pulling back slightly and whispering against my mouth. "Don't do that to me." Ugh! His saying _that_ made it worse! The power I had to "do that" to him with a mere kiss was unbelievably seductive.

"But you're so incredibly sexy and I love you so much!" I whined.

"I know, Baby, I know. I feel the same way about you," he assured me. "But this is something special, and I want to wait."

I settled my head on his shoulder. "Well, this _sucks_," I commented sourly, pouting.

Jake laughed. "Bells, it's amazing. It doesn't suck. C'mon, Baby," he crooned, his voice husky. "There's lots of stuff we can do without going all the way. Or we can just lie here together. That works too."

"Wow," I said under my breath, my brilliant response utterly inadequate.

"Yeah, wow," he agreed. He tucked his chin, looking down to where my head lay on his chest. I was listening to his heart, fascinated at the sound. I'd never been able to listen to a heartbeat with Edward. It's weird to put your ear to someone's chest and not hear that reassuring _thump-thump_ indicating life. I loved to listen to Jake's pulsing heart; it was reassuring.

"Let's try a little kiss," suggested Jake. "Gentle, okay?"

I lifted up on my elbows so I was diagonal to his face and lowered my lips tentatively to his. We started out slow, like molasses, unhurried caresses, our lips only just touching. I could feel his sweet breath flow across my face as his mouth softly molded itself to mine. It was thoroughly intoxicating.

As I concentrated on his sweet, quickening respirations, I heard them become ragged, husky. Fierce. The imprint was taking over, and I had no intention of stopping it because I wanted this. I wanted the closeness that the imprint could provide, the culmination of it. I wanted to _show_ Jacob that he was the only one I wanted; the only one I'd ever want. I deepened the kiss, parting my lips to invite him in, and his tongue flicked into my mouth, making me sigh with pleasure.

He pulled away suddenly, clenching a fist beneath me and closing his eyes tight, turning his head away. "_Damn_ it," he whispered.

His eyes smoldered as he choked, "Can't do it, Bells. Sorry." He was breathing like he'd just run ten miles. He rolled over and got out of the bed, going across the room to sit in the rocking chair and stare morosely out the rain streaked window.

"You can't even lie here with me?" I asked in a small voice.

"Nope," he said, popping the p. "I'll just sleep here or on the floor. It's fine, Bells."

"I thought the imprint made you do what the person you imprinted on wants," I pouted.

"_Needs,_ Bells. What the person I imprinted on _needs_."

"I _need_ you," I begged.

He turned to me, his face sympathetic. "You don't need me, Bells, you want me. There's a big difference."

I was starting to get frustrated. Who was I kidding – starting? I was ramping up for a huge tantrum of disappointment. "I think I would know what I need," I said in a snippy tone.

"You'd think so," he said, infuriatingly calm. "But you'd be wrong. Bella, I know we need to wait. I don't know _how_ I know, and I don't know _why_ I know. But I know. So we're waiting."

"And do you know _when_ we need to wait _until_?" I asked, my tone, if possible, snippier.

He grinned, subtly laughing at my agitation. "No," he said, mimicking my snippy tone. "But I'll let you know when I do."

I turned away from him, sulky. "You can say whatever you want," I growled. "I still think it sucks."

When I woke up the next morning for school, he was in bed with me, wrapped around me like a warm, heavy blanket. I struggled around, trying to untangle myself from his limbs and the comforter. My movements woke him.

"What are you doing in my bed?" I asked.

"Couldn't stay out," he mumbled, scrubbing his hand over his face sleepily. "You look so amazingly adorable when you're asleep. I had to be wrapped around you." He smiled, drowsy and beautiful.

The intensity of the previous night had melted into a comfortable companionship, but there was a bitter sweetness about it. We had to be apart today for the first time since the imprint. There was no getting around it. We both had school and we couldn't ditch this close to the end of the term. We showered separately and dressed quietly, not talking to each other much.

He held my hand as we walked down the stairs to the kitchen. "Want breakfast?" I asked him rhetorically.

"Don't go to any trouble, Bells," he answered, but I knew he was starving, like he always was.

"It's no trouble, Jake," I told him with a smile. I made French toast with sausage this morning, and cut up some fruit for him. I had my normal weekday breakfast of champions, a Pop-Tart.

"That's all you're eating?" he asked me.

"It's all I ever eat," I said, swallowing.

"Well, _that's_ gonna change," he said.

"No it's not," I giggled.

"No, it is," he insisted. "You have to be healthy, Bells. You're all I've got."

"Jake, I'm eighteen! I can be healthy later."

"Or you can be healthy now. Drink a glass of milk or something. Eat a piece of melon."

I sighed theatrically. "Fine," I acquiesced. I poured myself a small glass of milk and chugged it, then grabbed a slice of cantaloupe off his plate. "Satisfied?"

"Very," he grinned.

"I gotta go, Jake, or I'm gonna be late," I said. "Do you need a ride back to the rez?"

"Embry is picking me up in about two minutes. I'll finish up the dishes," he told me, stacking the syrup-sticky plates to take them to the sink and avoiding my gaze. "I'll lock up when I leave."

I grabbed him before he got to the sink and wrapped my arms around his waist. I felt like a child compared to him, his strength and his height dwarfing my small frame. He put his chin on the top of my head, putting his arms around my shoulders and pulling me close. He sighed. "Okay, now this part _does_ suck," he said.

"See? I was right," I said, trying to keep my tears from spilling over. The link seemed to be getting tight prematurely, like he had already left. He leaned back, looking down at me.

"It's okay, Bells. We're gonna be okay," he said. "Don't be upset. Just concentrate on school. It's almost over, and we'll be able to be together all the time - for the summer, anyway. Okay?" I nodded. "You're gonna be okay?"

I looked up at him, trying to be brave, blinking back the tears. "I'll be okay," I said.

He bent his head down to kiss me, and his aroma overwhelmed me again. I shifted my hands up to his neck and pulled him to me, but he resisted. His lips stayed closed in spite of my tongue seeking entrance. "No time," he murmured against my mouth. Despite his words and his actions, his hand slid up to the back of my head and his fist clenched around a handful of my hair. The feeling was exquisite, and a pleasured moan escaped my lips.

"Ah, _shit_," he said, pulling back and standing up. "Okay, that's enough. We have to go."

I turned before he could see my frustrated face and swung out the door as he continued to bring the dishes to the sink. "Bye, I love you," I said quickly as the door shut behind me.

It was not lost on me that this was a situation that I'd been in many, many times with Edward. Edward had constantly stopped us when we were getting too sexually involved. But then it had been my life at stake, not my virginity. Somehow, sexual innocence didn't seem to be as important as death. So why was Jacob being so stubborn?

Was it because of what he'd said last night, about how he _knew_ we should wait? Well, that wasn't good enough for me. A plan began to form in my mind as I drove the familiar roads to school. What if I seduced him? What if I made it so he couldn't resist?

Of course, Charlie would be home tonight, spoiling any plans of Jake spending the night. Or could he? After all, Edward had spent practically every night in my bed, and Charlie'd never been the wiser. Maybe I'd tell Jake to come over after Charlie was asleep, like Edward used to. Oh, this plan was sheer brilliance!


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Okay, I''m REALLY SORRY it took me so long to get this chapter up. I'm almost afraid to post it, and the next chapter too. Believe me, there's a method to my madness. So please bear with me.**

**Thanks for all the reviews, both good and bad. I always want to hear how you're liking the story, so please let me know if you can. And without further ado, anything you recognize isn't mine. 3**

CHAPTER 13

The school day was drearier than usual. Not only was I forced to go through the motions of actually caring about what was going on and feigning interest in my friends' spring break stories at lunch, my mind was completely occupied by Jacob.

He texted me at lunch: _We should get together after school and do homework. ;)_

I answered immediately: _Come 2 Charlie's when schl is out. U can eat dinner w us._

My phone buzzed again: _K, Billy will b at Sue's. CU around 4._

"Bella, what's so important on your phone?" Angela asked as I was reading his last text.

"Jake's texting me," I answered. Mike made a face.

"That's weird," Jessica said, trying to repress a gleeful grin. "What's he want to know? If your bed is all _warm and ready_?" She and Lauren burst into uncontrollable giggles.

"Funny, Jess," I said in a disparaging tone.

"Well, y'know, he probably wants her _in his arms again tonight_," Mike joked in a falsetto, bringing another wave of laughter to the table. Angela was the only one who didn't laugh.

"For your information," I began haughtily, "Jake's friend Embry put that on his page because he left Facebook up. You saw it was deleted, right?" I tried unsuccessfully to do some damage control.

"Why is he texting you, then?" Jess asked belligerently. "He never did before."

I looked around the table at my Forks friends. Did I want to tell them about dating Jake seriously, or would the teasing be too much to bear? Jake was a sophomore for one thing, and I was almost two full years older than him. I knew some classmates who dated in the class below them, but most were boys, and the girls who did received a lot of teasing. None of the girls dated _two_ classes below them. As I sat contemplating my next logical step, Lauren whipped my phone out of my hand.

"Lauren!" I screeched. "Give it back!"

"Let's see what sweet nothings Jacob-poo is texting to his cougar girlfriend!" Lauren giggled with evil glee. She scrolled until she found Jake's first text and read it out loud.

"Meet for homework?" Jess cried, disappointed. "Leave it to you, Bella. How boring!"

"He put a little winky face on it," Lauren snickered. "Maybe 'homework' is code for something else!" This brought loud guffaws all around. Jess' face was red with laughter and Eric was practically bent over with the hilarity of the situation. I was absolutely mortified, my face redder than a beet. Lauren read the next text out loud as well. I wanted to sink into the floor.

"She invited him for _dinner_! Sounds serious!" Mike chortled, before he caught the dirtiest of dirty looks from me. He backed off immediately.

"Lauren, I don't believe you," he said, holding out his hand. "Give it here."

Lauren handed it over instantly, and Mike put the phone safely in my hand. As cries went around the table at Mike's defection, I peered anxiously at the phone, looking for any more incriminating messages. Nothing…I breathed a sigh of relief.

"So, are you two finally Facebook official?" Jess asked after recovering from her laughing fit.

"What do you mean?" I asked, still not trusting her.

"You know, a couple on Facebook. Are you 'In a Relationship?'" Jess made air-quotes.

"No," I said, utterly humiliated now, plus feeling ashamed for lying about our bond.

"Bella, you've been seeing him since January, haven't you?" Lauren asked in a snotty tone. "It's April. Just admit you like the kid and get on with it. Just because you can't get a guy your own age, you shouldn't be embarrassed."

I gave her a withering look as the bell sounded. I was never so glad to know that lunch was over.

"Screw you, Lauren," I said under my breath as I carried my tray to the stack near the trash cans. Angela, walking behind me, heard me and began to laugh.

"Ignore them, Bella," she said, helping me sort through the stuff on my tray. "They're just jealous. Jacob is a hottie, and I think Lauren has had a little crush on him ever since we all went to First Beach that time last year and he kept talking to you. She used to be hot stuff around here, until you came and claimed Tyler, then Edward, and now Jacob. It's driving her nuts!"

_Psh! She's got a prayer!_ I thought sarcastically. Out loud, I said, "Well, it's embarrassing. I am with Jake now, but I sure don't want to tell_ them_ about it."

"Your secret's safe with me," Angela promised. We walked together to our next class. "Hey, you know what happened that's weird? Alice Cullen friend requested me on Facebook. She started asking me all kinds of questions about you and Jacob. What's going on? I thought you hadn't heard from them. How does she know about you guys?"

I felt the blood drain from my face. I turned to Angela urgently, stopping in the hall and causing several people walking behind me to crash into us and each other. Oblivious, I grabbed Angela's arm.

"What did you tell her?" I demanded intensely.

Angela looked at me like I was a lunatic. "I didn't tell her anything, Bella. I didn't even accept the request. I ignored it. She asked me about you on the messages, but I didn't answer her. Do you want me to block her?" She hesitated for a second. "Bella, do you feel okay? You look pale."

I let out a sigh of relief. "I didn't even think of blocking her. I could do that too. It's just…" I tried to think of a plausible lie. "I don't like hearing from her, Angela. It reminds me too much of Edward."

Angela was too distracted to notice what a rotten liar I was. "Bella!" she exclaimed with a huge grin. "That's the first time I've heard you use his name since he left! Good for you; you _must_ be over him!"

I smiled weakly, pulling her toward the classroom. "I guess so," I said.

"Don't worry, Bella. I won't say anything to Alice. And I'll block her so she can't see anything I post. We should both block her."

"As soon as I get home," I vowed.

By the end of school, I was a wreck. The tugging on my center was becoming overwhelming. I needed to see him. I needed to see him now. I couldn't get out of school fast enough, and I pushed my poor truck nearly beyond its limits trying to get home as quickly as humanly (ha!) possible.

When I pulled up in front of Charlie's house, the link loosened…finally. He was here, I could tell. The Rabbit's rear end, hanging out from behind the house, confirmed it. I yanked the front door open to find him sprawled out on the floor in the TV room, his books spread around him.

"Aaaahhhhh!" I screamed happily, throwing myself down on top on him as he lay on the floor on his stomach. He rolled over immediately, wrapping his tree-trunk arms around me as my heart soared.

"God, it's good to see you," he said huskily, and then planted his lips on mine. The heat of his mouth permeated me, starting at my lips and pooling in my stomach, that same feeling I'd had yesterday, one of satisfaction and relief. The strength of the imprint was unbelievable.

The kiss started out sweet and innocent, our lips just touching softly. But then he pressed closer, his mouth molding to mine as he moved his hand to the back of my head and pulled me toward him. His lips opened, inviting me in, and I slipped my tongue between them. His teeth softly nipped at my bottom lip, drawing a sigh of pleasure from me.

The hand that wasn't on my head suddenly was at my waist, his hot fingers lifting the edge of my shirt and sliding beneath it. Slowly, his hand crept up toward my ribcage. A moan low in his throat caused me to involuntarily nudge my hips into his. The resulting gasp made me voluntarily do it again.

He backed off. "Goddamnit, Bells," he growled. "You can't keep _do_ing this!"

"Doing what?" I asked, feigning innocence.

"You know what," he said, exasperated. There was a smile in his eyes though, taking the sting out of his words.

"I can't help it," I grinned, looking into his eyes. "The link feels normal for the first time all day. And you look…so amazing."

His eyes shifted away, and for a second I wanted to cry at the rejection until I realized that he was looking away to regain a measure of control. I loved that I could make him lose it like this. It made me hopeful for tonight.

Thinking of my sinister seduction plans, I decided to be good for now. He'd be more receptive to my wiles if he were lulled into a false sense of security. I sighed, pulling away from him.

"Okay, I get it," I said, pretending to resolve myself. "Let's do our homework. How did today go?" I rolled away from him, reaching for my backpack.

"It sucked," he said, his eyes going back to his books.

"Why? Was it one of those hard days at school?"

"School's not hard for me, Bells. I do okay without really trying. What's hard is being away from you. I don't know how Sam can do it, working at the garage all day."

"He probably sneaks home all the time," I said with a laugh.

"Yeah, probably," Jake agreed. He rolled over on his stomach again, looking back at his book. He began muttering under his breath, mumbling something about a limit of integration.

"Is that Calculus?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah, why?" he asked without looking up.

"You're a sophomore! You're taking senior math?"

His eyes met mine. "Yeah, so what?" he asked innocently. "I'm good at math. It's like mechanics. Everything fits." He grinned.

"What else are you taking?" I asked, intrigued now. I hadn't any idea he was smart in school. Now I wanted to know more about it.

"Um…" His eyes dropped back to his book. He was propped up on his elbows, his legs bent so his bare feet were up in the air behind him. I watched him kick them back and forth. "Let's see – Chemistry, Spanish, English Lit. …" Here he rolled his eyes and I surmised that English Lit. wasn't his favorite class. "Calc, Psych, and Gym."

"Habla Español?" I asked.

"Si, señorita," he laughed. "But not well. Not that great at languages. If I were, I'd be taking Latin like Embry and Paul. Me and Quil are in Spanish so we can keep our GPAs up." He smiled as if this were some vast conspiracy, as if no one else had ever thought of taking an easy class to keep their GPA up. What did he think I was taking Home Ec. for?

"Proud of yourself?" I teased. "You thought that brilliant plan up all on your own, huh?"

"Yeah," he said, playing along. "You should try it sometime."

I pulled out my Calculus book. It was the same one from which he was working. "I don't need to pull up my GPA," I said in a bragging tone. "I get straight As."

"Nerd," he commented lightly.

We both laughed, and settled in for a dull afternoon of schoolwork. But I wasn't really concentrating on my Calc homework. I was thinking of how I would seduce my handsome, hot, burly wolf-man later on tonight.

First, I'd ply him with food. I'd make an incredible feast for dinner, unsurpassed by any fine dining establishments in New York City, or at least in Forks. Then, I'd whisper my fear of sleeping alone to him, telling him I _needed_ him with me. Need seemed to be the operative term here, and I was going to take advantage of it. Shamelessly. Then, when he showed up, I wouldn't be wearing the camisole that had him all hot and bothered a few nights ago when he'd been ogling my boobs. I'd be wearing something that had earned the name Unmentionable.

I finished my homework and left him on the front room floor while I went in the kitchen to make dinner. I'd decided on steaks, because men loved them and it was easy to make them taste great. I had a collection of enormous steaks that Chief Charlie had gotten as a Christmas present from the mayor, and I'd been saving them for a special occasion. I decided the loss of my virginity was special enough.

I went outside and fired up the gas grill. Back in the kitchen, I turned on the oven and wrapped four baking potatoes in foil, setting them in the oven to bake. Taking down the garlic powder and seasoned salt, I unearthed the steaks from the deep freeze and carried them outside along with my shakers. I set them on the grill table while I waited for the grill to heat up.

I looked through the fridge for some kind of vegetable, and found some broccoli. Was that a good choice? I kept digging. Carrots! I could make them taste great with some brown sugar and a little cinnamon. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, right?

The potatoes would take at least an hour, and the grill needed some time to heat up. After running upstairs to block Alice from my Facebook account, I went back in the front room and sat cross legged next to him, reading my assigned portion of Hamlet as I leaned my back against his prone form. It was in this position that Charlie found us forty-five minutes later when he walked in from work.

"Hey, kids," he greeted us, taking off his holster and hanging it on the designated hook. "Now this is what a dad likes to see when he comes in; everyone in the family room, fully clothed, doing homework."

"Dad!" I cried, appalled. I sneaked a look at Jake. His eyes hadn't left his books, but his face was flushed red.

"Sorry, kiddo," Charlie laughed. "That was kind of inappropriate, huh?"

"_Kind_ of?" I repeated with evident humiliation.

"Didn't mean to embarrass you," he said, walking into the kitchen. "What're you making?"

"Steaks," I answered as I rolled my eyes at Jake. He smiled.

"You got the grill on?" he asked, looking out the kitchen window.

"Yeah, it's ready. I was just about to put them on."

"I'll do it," Charlie said amicably.

I jumped up. "No, Dad, watch TV. You just got home. I've got it." I beat him to the door and swung out, shutting it behind me.

I unwrapped the nearly-thawed steaks, and sprinkled them liberally with garlic powder and seasoned salt. I grabbed the oil from where we kept it in the grill cabinet and spread it around the grate with a paper towel and a long set of tongs. The oil sizzled enticingly as I spread it over the hot metal.

When I was sure the grill was sufficiently oiled, I placed the steaks on it, inhaling their smoky deliciousness appreciatively. I felt through my link that Jake was nearing, and I turned just as he came out the door.

"Smells fantastic," he commented, stepping over to the grill.

"Yep, a big slab of meat for my favorite wolf," I smiled. "What's Charlie up to?" I wanted to know if I had a few minutes to talk to Jake.

"Watching scores on ESPN," he answered, sliding his finger across the top of one of the steaks and sucking the juice off by sticking it in his mouth.

"Jacob, can you come back tonight after he's asleep and sneak into my room? Like you did that night you kind of told me about the wolf? I think I need you here or I won't be able to sleep." I remembered to put the word 'need' in there.

"I'd do it, but what about Charlie?" he asked.

"He won't know," I assured him. "Remember when you came in before? He didn't wake up then."

Jacob looked pensive. "Yeah, that's true. Okay," he agreed somewhat reluctantly. "What time would be good?"

"Midnight," I answered. I reached up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "Thank you. I'm gonna go start the carrots. You mind keeping an eye on the steaks?"

"No problem," he said, picking up the tongs, and I went in the kitchen.

Within fifteen minutes, I had dinner on the table, and Jake and Charlie were chowing down on their steaks. Thanks to Jacob, they were cooked to perfection, and the carrots and potatoes were flawless as well. Charlie and Jacob talked about the sports scores and the upcoming baseball season, and I marveled at the fact that Jake could hold a conversation with Charlie when it was like pulling teeth for Edward to speak more than two sentences to him. I fell in love with him more every minute. It was so comfortable with Jake, and I'd always been on edge when Edward was here at dinner time.

"You kids planning anything tonight?" asked Charlie when I was serving the dinner. I nearly dropped all the dishes on the floor.

"No, we're just going to stick around here," Jake answered innocently. "I want to catch the game."

"Great," Charlie enthused. "It'll be nice to have someone who will appreciate my color commentary."

Jake laughed. "Yeah, I do pretty good color, too," he said. I had no idea what they were talking about. To distract Jacob and to further my cause for the coming evening, I started trying to be sexy. But what was sexy? Running my tongue around my lips? Stretching in a provocative way? Bending over in front of him?

I settled for sliding my hand under my hair, over my neck. I extended my neck back with a gentle moan.

Jacob didn't even notice, but Charlie looked up. "Did you hurt your neck, Bells?" he asked with concern.

Oh, _God!_ Mortified, I dropped the flirting altogether.

When dinner was over, I stacked the plates and carried them to the sink. "You guys go watch the game," I said. "I'll do the dishes."

Though Jacob put up a protest and attempted to help me, I finally convinced him that I did this on a daily basis and they retired to the family room as I cleaned the kitchen. I was really getting nervous about my upcoming evening. I didn't want to pester Jake with my pleas, but I really did want to prove to him how much I loved him. I wanted him to know that, even if I wasn't a werewolf, I had imprinted on him, too. I was sure it wasn't exactly the same, but I felt a tie to him just as surely as he felt one to me. I wanted him to know that. I wanted him to be as sure in my love as I was in his.

Was this the best way to go about it? Everything I saw in movies or on TV, or read in books told me it was. But I had a sneaking suspicion that this wasn't really the case. I mean, true love should be able to show itself without a physical manifestation, shouldn't it? But how?

It shouldn't be this hard. I'd been able convince Edward that I loved him, and we hadn't been intimate. Maybe I was going about this in the wrong way. If I was really as ready as I thought I was, why was I so anxious? It should be easy, right? I should be excited, looking forward to it – not scared, not getting cold feet.

I'd finished the kitchen as I mused, and I was all done with my homework too, due to my studious afternoon. With nothing else to occupy me, I went into the family room and sat down next to Jake on the couch. His hand slid across the tweedy surface and grasped mine. The heat flowing from him traveled up my arm and filled me from inside, settling in my belly as before. It made me feel like I was glowing. He smiled over at me, a secret smile Charlie didn't see. A smile that said he loved me.

I could see Charlie looking at us out of the corner of his eye, so I didn't do what I wanted to do, which was to snuggle up to Jake and rest my head on his shoulder. Instead, I squeezed his hand reassuringly, so he'd know that I was happy and that I wanted to do more. I knew he understood, because he winked at me with another sly grin. Charlie caught that.

"Uh, you two look a little crowded over there," he commented.

"Dad, we're sitting two feet apart," I said.

"Oh. You seemed like you were a little closer than that." I knew Charlie was just giving us grief, but it was irritating.

Maybe it was just my anxiety talking, but I said in an insolent tone, "Want me to get a ruler?"

Jake and Charlie both turned their heads toward me, one with a disbelieving look and one with an infuriated one.

"Watch yourself, Bella," my dad said in a warning tone. Jacob just stared at me, his eyebrows pinching together like he couldn't understand my attitude.

"I'm sorry, Dad," I apologized immediately. "I guess maybe I'm tired."

"Maybe I should go," Jacob said.

"No!" I said a little too loudly. "I mean, um…the game's not even over. You should stay."

"Yeah, stay, Jake," Charlie said easily, his attention back on the TV. They continued what I assumed was their color commentary, and I reached down on the floor for Hamlet.

When the game was over and Charlie and Jacob had said their goodbyes, I walked Jacob out to his car. He wrapped me in his arms against the chill of the evening, and I fell gratefully into his embrace.

"Bells, I have to talk to you about something," he said haltingly.

"What?" I asked, mystified as I looked up at him.

"I don't…really feel right about staying over without Charlie knowing," he said.

"_What_?" I asked. "Come on! You said you'd stay!"

"I dunno, Bells. It seems…rude. Like, bad manners or something."

I knew what he was trying to say. He felt like we were being disrespectful of Charlie. I was speechless. I stood there with my mouth open in surprise, blankly blinking at him.

"Seriously, Bells. It seems like it's out of line somehow. Like we're trying to fool him. I like Charlie. I don't want to do something like this. If he caught us, he'd never trust me again."

"He'd never trust _me_ again. He'd be fine with you," I told him, finally finding my voice.

Jake shook his head resolutely. "No, I don't think so. If you were my daughter, I wouldn't trust me either if I found me in your room."

I stuck my lip out in a pout. "Edward never cared," I muttered quietly, so he wouldn't hear.

He looked at me carefully, turning his head as if to listen better. His eyes narrowed and one brow shot up. "Did I hear you right?" he said in a low voice. "Did you just say the bloodsucker spent the night? Tell me that's not what I heard."

I stared at him like a deer in the headlights, not daring to breathe. My heart sped up, a spurt of adrenaline fueling it as my veins turned to ice.

"That's what you said, isn't it?" Instead of getting louder, Jake's voice was getting lower as his anger increased. "And now you want me to do what that fucking disrespectful leech did to your dad?" He shook his head as if trying to clear it. "What the fuck, Bells?"

"I…I just didn't want to be lonely without you," I squeaked. But even as I said it, I knew it was a lie. My plan had been to seduce him. I wanted to make love with him. Of course I wanted him to stay too, because of the pull of the link. But the main reason was purely physical.

"Bullshit," he spat. I jerked my head back from him, startled at his reaction. "Why do you really want me to stay over? Tell me the truth."

Tears sprang to my eyes, surprising and infuriating me. Why did I always have to cry at such inopportune moments? I tried to reach out for him again, but he stepped nimbly back, avoiding my arms.

"I'm not lying," I said with a mighty effort to control the tears. "I do want you to stay here because I'm afraid I'll miss you. This is our first night away from each other." I allowed the tears to overflow now. I couldn't hold them back anymore.

Jake's hands fisted at his sides. He sighed in frustration as he looked at the ground. He didn't even glance at me as he said, "_Bella_. I can't have you lying to me. I understand that you want me here because of the link and how it reminds you of the bloodsucker. But _DON'T.._.lie to me. Do you understand?" I knew he was trying to control his anger.

I hung my head and nodded. Then I remembered he wasn't looking at me, so I whispered, "Yes."

"Okay. Now. Why do you really want me to stay?" He finally looked at me, and the look on his face stabbed my heart. He looked as if I'd…betrayed him.

"I...I wanted for us to…to make love," I choked.

He sighed through his nose while shaking his head at me. "This was your brilliant plan?" he asked sarcastically. "You ask me to spend the night and then you were going to seduce me? And how did you think you were going to get me to _do_ you?"

I winced at his terminology. Was this the way the pack treated their imprints? Did he think this was what I _needed_? I didn't answer.

"Come on, I really want to know, Bella. What were you going to do? You made me a big dinner, was that part of it?"

I nodded miserably.

"Then what? Some kind of lingerie?"

"Jake!" I protested.

"No, I really want to know."

"Jacob. You're really embarrassing me. Okay, I admitted the truth. So now you have to humiliate me? I'm _sorry_, okay? It was a dumb idea, I get it!" I was sobbing now. My romantic night was a disaster, I'd lied to him, and I'd probably ruined everything. And he was being so _mean_ to me!

He watched me for a second, then seemed to relent. He put his arms around me awkwardly, pulling me against his chest. "Okay, Baby, okay. I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean it. I don't know what came over me," he crooned, his hot hand smoothing my hair.

"All I wanted was to show you how much I love you. So you'd know…" I hiccupped.

"Shhhh, shhh, Baby. It's okay. I know. You don't have to show me. I already know."

I looked into his face and saw…his eyes. His pupils dilated, his nostrils flaring. He was struggling to contain the wolf. "Jake? Are you okay?" I asked in alarm.

"Something's here," he growled. "No wonder I'm about to lose it. Back away, Bella."

"What is it?" I asked, glancing around frantically. "_What_'s here?"

"Bella, go inside. There's a bloodsucker here. Right here, in the woods. Now go in the house." He said it slowly, as if I were a child, as if I needed very specific instructions. And he was right. I did need specific instructions. My feet stayed rooted to the ground.

"Go," he told me. "Go inside now. I'll call you later, when I get home. I have to phase now, Bells, so you have to get away. Go in." I stood there, staring. "Now!"

His growl woke me from my temporary trance, and I hurried inside. I was up in my room within seconds, and I looked out the window, watching for...something. But I couldn't see anything in the inky darkness.

I slid the window open just a tiny bit so I could listen. I heard nothing for a few minutes, but then, in the distance, I heard voices. As in more than one voice. The growl of Jacob, as pissed off as I'd ever heard him. He hadn't phased yet. And the unmistakable velvet-smooth voice of Edward Cullen.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Ok, here's the next chapter, and I hope you like it. Tho I think a lot of people might not. (EEK!) Keep reading and reviewing. PLEEZ let me know if you like it or hate it.**

**As always, nothing you recognize belongs to me.**

CHAPTER 14

I strained to hear what they were saying, but they were too far away. Was I hearing three voices? They were so far away that sometimes it sounded like three and other times like two. It was driving me crazy. What would Edward be doing back here? He was supposed to be in Europe! Jared and Paul had seen him leave on the plane. Was it possible that he'd tricked them? Had he been here all along? And was Alice in on this as well?

I was dying to call someone. I had to find out what was going on. Emily. I'd call her.

With shaking hands, I punched Emily's number into my cell. She answered pleasantly; evidently she had no idea what was going on. That meant that Jacob was alone in this.

"Hi, Bella, how are you?" she asked enthusiastically. "How are things going with Jake?"

"Emily, something's wrong. Is Sam there? Jake is in the woods by Charlie's house and I think he's talking to Edward!"

"Edward?" her voice was unsettled. "Wait, let me tell Sam what's going on."

I heard muffled talking, and a deeper voice raised in inquiry. Suddenly Sam was on the line. "Bella, can you see them?" he asked urgently.

"No, but I can hear them with my window open. I hear voices, but I can't hear what they're saying. Sam, I'm scared. He said he was going to phase, but I can hear him; he's out there _human_. He's out there with them and he won't even phase to protect himself!"

"Them?" Sam demanded. "What do you mean, _them_?"

"I think there might be another one out there too. Maybe Alice. I think I hear three voices," I told him.

"I'm on my way," he said, and then Emily was back on the line.

"Bella, are you okay?" she asked. "Do you want me to come over?"

"No, it's too late. It would make Charlie suspicious. I just wish I knew what was going on."

"I have an _idea_ of what's going on," Emily said. "If Edward came back after biting you, they'll have to eliminate him. There's no two ways about it. I've studied this Treaty every which way. Sam shouldn't have let him go. He should have let the pack eliminate him then, but he didn't want to start a war with the Cullens."

"If that's really the case, then why would Jacob be _talking_ to him?" I asked, confused. "Why wouldn't he phase and let the others know he needs them?"

"I don't know, Bella. Maybe he's trying to convince Edward to follow Sam's orders to leave the area."

What Emily said made sense. It would be just like Jacob to warn Edward away. I was sure he thought I'd be devastated by Edward's death. He was trying to protect me.

Off in the distance, further away than the vampire-werewolf argument that was taking place in Charlie's woods, I heard a lonesome howl followed by several more. The pack was descending.

"I hear the pack, Em. They're coming."

"Stay inside, Bella. I know you're going to want to go out there, but believe me, the last thing they need is to try to keep an eye on you. Promise?"

"Emily, if it were Sam out there, would you stay inside?"

"It _is_ Sam out there!" she shouted. "Don't do it, Bella!"

"I think you're right, though! I think Jake is trying to keep me from being hurt by warning Edward away! I have to tell him the pack is coming."

"Believe me, Bella, if you heard the pack, Jake already _knows _they're coming. Just stay inside. Don't be stupid!"

There was a pause while I mulled it over. Emily said, "Look, I talked you out of doing something stupid the other night with regard to Edward. I know what I'm talking about, Bella. Listen to your big sister, and _don't go out there_!"

"But I want to know what's going on!" I insisted.

"Listen, Bella. I know, okay? It drives me nuts, too. The whole thing sucks when you can't reach them and no one can call you or text you to let you know what's going on. But this is something you have to get used to. Being an imprint is an amazing thing, but there are drawbacks, and this is the biggest one. You have to trust that they know what they're doing and that they'll be okay. You going out there will distract them. They have to deal with the vamp now, and they can't be trying to look out for you while they're at it. They need their focus for this. _Especially_ Jake. Now that he's imprinted…" She stopped suddenly, as if she'd said too much.

"Now that he's imprinted, what?" I asked cautiously.

"Nothing, Bella. Just, please, don't go out there."

I sat for a second, considering. "I'm going out there unless you tell me what you were going to say," I threatened.

"_Bella!_" she protested, appalled.

"No, I mean it! I will go out there. Now that he's imprinted - _what_?" I was getting impatient.

"Okay, _fine_!" she acquiesced with poor grace. "Now that he's imprinted, he had to claim the Alpha. He's Alpha now. That's the way it works. And if you distract the Alpha, then the whole pack will suffer. They could get killed. You _can't_ go out there, Bella."

A strange, mixed feeling went through me at this new revelation.

Partially, I was horrified. My Jake was the Alpha. That meant that he'd be thinking of the pack before he thought of himself, and that meant that he might have to give his life for the pack. Was that why he hadn't phased right away? Because it was best for the pack? His decisions were now based on something outside of himself, and I wasn't sure I liked that at all.

On the other hand, I was more aroused than I'd ever been. A peculiar thrill of seduction ran through me at the thought of him being the Wolf In Charge, the highest ranking member of the pack and of the tribe. It was intoxicating, and I felt a slow smile spread across my face. _My_ wolf was the biggest and the baddest. I felt a twinge between my legs, the strongest ache I'd ever felt there. I _wanted_ him. My link pulled agonizingly tight.

I didn't miss the fact that my reaction was wholly inappropriate. My man (boyfriend seemed too tame a term now) was out there, possibly fighting for his life, and while part of me was terrified of that, a stronger part was hungering for him physically – lusting for him, even. What was wrong with me? It was an overwhelming feeling, a feeling of pure desire, unlike anything I'd ever experienced with Edward.

Emily still waited on the other end of the line. "Bella? You're there, right? Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm here, Em," I answered, my voice shaking. "I'm just surprised, that's all."

She sighed. "I'm sorry, but you kind of forced me to tell you. He obviously had his reasons for keeping it from you. I just hope he doesn't get mad at me."

"He won't," I said confidently. "I'll tell him I dragged it out of you." My voice still shook, but I concentrated on sounding secure.

There was a pause. "You're not going out there, are you?" she asked.

"No. I said I wouldn't if you told me, so I won't. I'll just sit here and go insane." I managed a weak laugh.

"Call me if you need to talk," she said.

"I will. Thanks, Em." I hung up.

I listened out the window carefully. The howling was gone, and I didn't hear the voices anymore either. What had happened? I was going to go mad!

As I strained to listen, I heard something I didn't at all expect. A knock at the door, and Charlie's footsteps as he went to open it. I was downstairs in a heartbeat.

"Yes, she's home. It's so great to see you! Are you here by yourself?" I couldn't see who Charlie was talking to, but I observed him peering out into the yard, beyond whoever was at the door. Looking for someone.

"Yes, I just happened to be passing through and thought I'd stop in," I heard the smiling, wind-chime voice say happily as Alice entered the room.

I was frozen in place on the landing, petrified at the sight of her. What did she want?

She looked so different to me; so sinister - almost like she didn't even resemble a human. She appeared crystalline, all angles and shine. Her eyes were vacant ochre pools. They stared at me blankly. Was this how Jacob saw the vampires? If so, it wasn't any wonder he was wary of them.

"Bella!" she cried with deceitful excitement. Charlie may have bought her ruse, but I saw right through it: she wasn't happy to see me - she wanted something from me. She crossed the room and caught me up in a hug. I was immediately repulsed by her scent – she smelled like the sickly-sweet odor of death. It was so strong it burned though my nose.

So I wouldn't tip Charlie off, I managed a deceptive, "Alice, I missed you so much!"

Playing along, Alice turned to Charlie over her shoulder as she pulled me by the hand up the stairs. "We have some girl talk to catch up on, Charlie! Talk to you later!" He waved absently, already back to his chair and watching TV.

Alice hustled me to my room, then turned to me. "Why do you smell like that?" she demanded.

"Why do _you_ smell like that? And what are you doing here? Does this have anything to do with Edward?" I asked in return.

"Bella, listen to me," she trilled. "I can't see you anymore. _Ever._ What is going on?"

I pulled my hand away from her and sat on the bed, stared uncomprehendingly at her. "I want to know what you're doing here," I said. "And I'm not saying anything until you tell me." This blackmail thing was working so well for me, I decided to use it for all it was worth.

"I came here with Edward," she said.

"When?" I demanded. "Two days ago, or more recently?"

She ignored my question. "Why can't I see you anymore? Did you even go to school today, or are you spending all your time with that _dog_ now? I couldn't _see_ you!"

"I'm with Jake now," I told her. "I already told you that when you pulled that stunt on Facebook. I don't know why you can't see me, but maybe that's why."

She stamped her foot in frustration. "I want to know why I can't _see _you!" she growled under her breath. I didn't like the way she was looking at me. I didn't like the way she looked at all. "Why wouldn't I be able to see you just because you're with this Jake boy? That makes no _sense_!"

"I don't know, Alice, okay? I don't know. But I do know that you look…weird to me. Really weird. Not like you used to. You look scary. Almost see-through. And you smell terrible. Why is that?"

"Wait a minute. What did you say before? You're with this Jacob kid? You mean you're _with_ him - with him?"

"Alice, I already told you this. Yes, we're together. I'm _with_ him - with him."

She looked at me curiously. "Did he… what do they call it? Impress on you or whatever it is?"

"Imprint," I supplied.

"Did he?" she persisted.

I looked at the floor. "You need to tell me one thing first, Alice. You have to tell me why you're here. Who you're with and why you're here."

"That's two things," she said, and her voice sounded unsteady to me. I looked up at her, her shimmering face floating before me. I felt the lure of the vampire pulling me in, only this time it was making me sick. Dizzy. The odor of her was literally repulsive, almost nauseating. My head swam with it.

"I'm here with Edward," she crooned as I lay helplessly back on the bed, her face only inches from mine. "And we're here to get you."

I was vaguely aware of her caramel eyes staring into mine. They looked blank and lifeless to me. They'd never looked that way to me before. My muddled mind struggled to understand what was going on. "Get me?" I asked in confusion.

"Get you back where you belong," she murmured softly. "Back with Edward, where you're connected - like you're supposed to be."

"I'm connected to Jake now," I tried to say, but it came out garbled.

"Shh," she soothed. "You're going to be fine."

She left the room for a moment and I heard her call to Charlie. "Is it okay if I stay the night, Charlie? Bella and I want to catch up," she said.

"Yeah, sure, Alice, no problem," Charlie answered lightly. "Don't stay up all night."

But by then, the door was closed and Alice was back with me. "We won't," she whispered in my ear. Her tone scared the life out of me, but I was helpless. I couldn't move.

"Edward will be here soon," she breathed. "And we'll be taking you back to our house until you come to your senses."

I tried to protest, but it was no use. How was she doing this to me? I was paralyzed. I felt drunk, or at least what I thought drunk felt like. Was it because of the imprint that she could suddenly affect me this way? And where was Jacob? Was he okay? I had to wonder - if Alice had escaped, had Jacob come to some sort of harm?

She lay down next to me in the bed, wrapping her snow-cold arms around me, her voice like a lullaby. I was powerless to move away from her, my breathing shallow and fast. I tried to cry out for Jacob or Charlie or anyone, but no sound came out. I was terrified. What were they planning on doing to me?

"We're taking you home," she whispered to me, her frozen breath turning me to ice. "Edward and I have big plans for you. Plans that your little werewolf boyfriend won't like at all. And then you'll be like us, and he won't be able to want you anymore. Won't that be perfect? You'll be a Cullen, like you always wanted."

Tears oozed out of the corners of my eyes. I didn't want to be a Cullen anymore. I wanted to be a Black. I wanted to be Mrs. Jacob Black. Bella Black. And now I never would be.

A sound at the window attracted my attention, but I couldn't move my head to look. "That will be Edward," she sighed, turning to look, and then a quiet gasp emanated from her frosty lips before Jacob's hand came down on her neck.

"That's right, little leech," Jacob snarled. "You can't see me, can you? Your future vision doesn't work with me, does it?"

Jake's enormous hand held her to the bed and she was unable to speak. But having her airway cut off wasn't as debilitating to her as it would have been for one of us. She couldn't talk, but she didn't need to breathe. She stared at him menacingly. Her look said, _Don't let go, dog, because you won't like what I'll be when I'm released. _

But Jacob knew exactly what to do. He stared at me intently, and the dizzy, faint feeling began to dissipate slowly. He kept his hands on Alice, holding her down, but he kept looking at me. "Bella, look at me," he said urgently. "Are you okay?"

I nodded weakly, which was all I could manage at the moment. He nodded back and his eyes flicked back to Alice, who lay completely still, her face now entirely terrified. Why was she suddenly so scared?

"Where are they?" Jacob said to himself under his breath, almost too quietly for me to hear.

"Who?" I asked, barely able to get it out of my mouth.

He continued to hold the frightened Alice down on the bed, one hand on her neck and the other on her shoulder. I thought she could have kicked him or twisted free of his grasp, but oddly, she didn't move. "The rest of the pack," he answered me. "They're on their way, but they have something they have to do first."

As soon as he'd said it, everything fell into place. What they were doing was disposing of the body – of Edward's body. They were burning it, I just knew it. And that was why Alice hadn't been able to see him coming, and why she was now so horrified. Edward was gone.

Sam and Seth appeared at the window, and were across the room instantly. Their scent permeated the room and I was finally able to inhale deep into my lungs. Almost at once, the fuzziness and feebleness were gone, and I sat up right away.

"Fucking bloodsuckers," Jacob spat. "What were you trying to do? Kill her?" He let his hand off Alice's throat, but continued to hold her down.

"Edward couldn't survive without her," Alice choked, her voice sobbing though her eyes could not.

"He won't have to anymore," Seth said grimly with a derisive snort.

"Seth!" Jacob admonished in a strange double-timbre voice I'd never heard before. Instinctively, I knew it was the voice of the Alpha, the voice they were compelled to obey. It titillated me like nothing I'd ever heard. A voice shouldn't be able to do that, but Jacob's did. And I knew why he was issuing and Alpha edict. Jacob didn't want Seth to say anything further. But I already knew the secret from which Jake was trying to protect me.

Seth and Sam took over holding Alice, and actually lifted her bodily and made for the window. They leapt out without a backward glance, leaving Jacob and me alone.

He sat next to me on the bed, fearful that I was still weak. He placed a hand on each of my shoulders and looked at me with determination.

"Bella, are you really okay?" he asked intensely.

I nodded. "Yeah, I don't know what she did to me, but I couldn't talk. I could barely think!" I said, reaching up to grasp his forearms.

"I have to tell you something, Bella. It's…um, I think you'll consider it bad news," he began. His hands slid off my shoulders and down to my hands, gripping them hard.

"I already know, Jake," I said. "You took Edward out."

Jake hung his head. "I wanted to let him go, Bells, I did. But I really couldn't. I think he flipped out. He was talking like he was crazy. Saying he'd 'keep' you at his house until he changed your mind." His eyes shifted back to me. "And your friend was in on it too."

I sat thinking about Edward and Alice and their demise, but I couldn't bring myself to feel sad about it. They'd abandoned me and ignored my cries and wanderings that first night. They'd left me alone this whole time when they'd known I'd been breaking apart. I'd given them the benefit of the doubt before I knew they could follow me on Facebook, but now I knew the truth. They'd known I was in bad shape, and they'd chosen to ignore it. And the only time they'd shown up was when it looked like I was going to be okay. It was the classic, "I don't want you, but I don't want anyone else to have you" line.

I tried to picture Edward's face, the face with which I'd fallen in love, but all I could see was the strange angular crystalline structure that Alice had been when I'd seen her. The eyes looked dead. The stench was unbearable. They weren't the creatures I'd thought they were.

"You're eliminating her too, aren't you?" I asked in a quiet voice.

"We have to, Bells. There's no choice. They were planning on changing you. There's no mistaking it; the female admitted it and then took off and was almost able to get you away. No telling what would've happened if they'd tried to turn you."

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.

"I mean that you're part of _me_ now, in case you haven't noticed. She smelled terrible to you, didn't she?" he asked.

"Disgusting," I admitted.

He snorted a little laugh. "And how did she look?" he asked.

"Like something…from another world. Like she was made of liquid glass or something," I answered, awed that he knew. "Her eyes…they looked dead."

"That's the way they've always looked to me - ever since I phased for the first time." He wouldn't look at me. He stared down at the floor. "That's why I couldn't understand why you'd let them come near you. I thought they looked that way to everyone, until I saw him in that picture of you two. And if they'd tried to change you, it might have been disastrous."

"It would have been pretty bad if I'd turned into a vampire," I said, mulling over the fact that I'd wanted that very thing for such a long time. "But I don't know if I'd call it a disaster."

"Bells, we don't know _what_ would've happened if one of them bit you. We do know what happens to _us_ when we're exposed to venom. We take much longer to heal with small amounts. Large amounts could be poisonous; we're not sure. So if you're like me, a large infusion of vamp venom could've killed you."

"Would they have done that if they'd known?" I asked him fearfully.

"I don't know, Bells. But we didn't want to take a chance."

He looked back up at me finally, his deep black eyes meeting mine. I could see in them the fear of losing me, of having to eliminate me as they'd done the other two, of seeing me like he saw them. Something tickled me at the back of my mind.

"What picture?" I asked, my brows meeting in confusion.

"What?" he asked quickly, as if caught in a lie.

"You said you saw a picture of the two of us. What picture were you talking about?"

His eyes squeezed shut now as he winced. "Shit, I was hoping you wouldn't catch that," he said ruefully. He sighed, shaking his head. "Okay, that night, that first night when I stayed here," he said.

"Yeah?" I urged him on.

"Well, I could smell _some_thing. Something bad. I looked everywhere for where it was coming from. And I found where you hid everything, under your floorboards. I'm sorry, Bells. I know why you put that stuff there…"

I was completely mystified. "What are you talking about?" I interrupted.

"The stuff. Your, like, mementos or whatever. You don't have to pretend you don't know what I'm talking about, Bella. I found them. I already know. And I totally understand, I mean, he was part of your life and…"

"Jake!" I said, stopping him again. "What are you talking about? I have no idea!"

He sighed in exasperation. "This stuff!" he said, getting off the bed and bending to pull up my rug. He ripped up a loose floorboard that I didn't even know was there, and inside were the pictures we'd taken on the night of my birthday and the next night, the plane tickets, the CD, the other gifts…everything.

My hand went to my mouth. "Oh my God," I gasped. "Who put that there?"

Jacob looked up at me, his face questioning. "You really didn't know this stuff was here?" he asked dubiously.

"I swear to God, Jake," I said, shaking my head, my eyes wide. "I had no clue."

"_He _put these here," he said accusingly, bitterness dripping from every word. "One last sick joke. One last way to hold onto you. God, I'm glad that motherfucker is gone!"

It occurred to me that I hadn't been able to smell the items like Jacob had. Why was that? But I dismissed the thought almost as soon as it formed. I wasn't a werewolf, I was just the imprintee. I couldn't have all the same capabilities.

"Get them out of there, Jacob. I can't stand having them there."

Jacob pulled everything out. He piled it next to the rug, replaced the floorboard, and folded the carpet back down. "What do you want to do with this stuff?" he asked.

"Burn it," I said.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Okay, since everyone's confused as to why Jacob is holding back the sex, here's my convoluted explanation. Jake was all "Let's go" only BEFORE the imprint. AFTER the imprint, he's much more conservative. Though his teenage boy hormones are telling him to go for it, the imprint holds him back and the imprint is stronger than the hormones. Bella, for her part, is falling madly in love and wants nothing more than to prove it to Jake, because she feels like he might be doubting her. And as for the bickering, that's usually when there's a vamp in the area. Sometimes they're too far away to smell, but they still make the wolves nervous. That's why Jake got cranky before Edward showed up - he did that both times, and also when Victoria was near. Okay so now that we're all up to speed...**

**Nothing you recognize is mine. And a special shout out to the lovely Pinkchic, who always reviews but to whom I can never reply. You rock!**

CHAPTER 15

It totally sucked that it was only Tuesday night. I had three more full days of school before I could spend any length of time with Jake.

He'd left shortly after we'd made the decision to burn the contents of the "floor-board safe" as Jacob referred to it. He took the stuff with him so I wouldn't have it in my room, bothering me. He still wouldn't stay, because it was "disrespectful to Charlie," even though I begged him. Even though he'd annihilated the former love of my life and my bygone BFF. He said it wasn't considerate of Charlie. "Not in his _house_, when he's _here_, Bells," he kept saying. He convinced me he was right.

So now we waited. Through the long school days and the dark lonely nights. We couldn't even see each other in the morning before school, or we'd be late. We'd attempted it on Wednesday, but we couldn't seem to pull ourselves away from one another, so we'd decided to stop even trying to see each other early. That meant we'd go sixteen or seventeen hours without seeing each other. It was absolute torture.

Lunch had become my personal nightmare. The teasing hadn't abated at all. Every day, either Lauren or Jess would start in on Jake. He always texted me at lunch, so that was a perfect opening for them to begin their banter.

It started with nearly the same thing every day. "Loverboy's on the line!" Lauren would sing. "What kind of excitement does he have planned today?"

After a full lunch time of this on Wednesday, I decided to toy with Lauren. She was pissing me off in a major way, and I'd never consciously done anything to upset her. I never even gossiped behind her back - much. And I had just a little dirt on her, thanks to Angela. On Thursday, after Jake texted me, I made a big show of pulling out my phone, smiling a 'secret' smile, and texting back to him. She didn't have to know that his text only said, _Hi, wat r u up 2 babe?_

Lauren started in as always. "Is that your little boy-toy, Cougarama?" she asked in a loud voice.

I shrugged, conspicuously pretending to hide the phone.

"That means yes," Jess giggled. I made a face at her.

"What big plans does he have for you today? Spongebob cartoons? Cookies and milk? Maybe you have to babysit him because his daddy won't be home!" Lauren loved to focus on the fact that Jake was younger than I.

"Not funny, Lauren," I answered snippily. My phone buzzed again, and I read it right in front of them with no attempt to hide it. I frowned, making my face look sad, though the text read, _Can't wait to c u l8r_.

"What's the matter, Bella? He needs a bottle and you're out of formula?" Jess said. Mike and Eric shouted with laughter.

Angela, sitting directly to my right, was in on the plan and all for it. I leaned over to her, but said loud enough for everyone to hear, "He's asking about Lauren again." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lauren sit up a little straighter and nudge Jessica. Tyler suddenly looked pissed.

"What's he want to know?" Angela asked. I threw her a grateful look.

I leaned into her like I was telling her a secret, though I kept talking loud. "He keeps asking if she's still seeing Tyler," I told her.

"So you think he still likes her?" Angela said, looking only at me and playing along perfectly.

"He _says _he's just wondering," I said, my tone dejected. "I keep telling him she's still with Tyler and she wouldn't go out with him anyway because he's too young. But he won't stop asking about her." I sighed, like this problem was weighing on me heavily.

"Maybe he wants a _real_ girlfriend, Bella. Not someone who's crying over a guy who left her seven months ago," Lauren said hatefully.

Angela wasn't faking her response when she turned to Lauren with wide eyes. No one was laughing now. Even Jess stared at Lauren with an incredulous look; they all knew better than to mention Edward. The boys were looking down at the table, embarrassed. "God, Lauren!" Angela said, louder than I'd ever heard her speak. "Do you always have to be such a _bitch_?"

A collective gasp ran around the table and people stopped talking all around us. Three tables over, I could hear people's surprised responses. I wanted to laugh out loud at the flabbergasted look on Lauren's face. Her eyes were like saucers and her mouth hung open. No one had ever heard Angela talk like that.

Angela's face was red. She stood up before the bell rang and gathered her things onto her tray. "Come on, Bella," she said protectively. I followed suit, keeping a careful look of dejection on my face so everyone would remain fooled.

We went directly to the girls' restroom and dissolved in helpless giggles. Whatever Lauren got, she deserved.

But it was a dim bright point in an otherwise monotonous week. Every day I'd push my truck, cursing at its internal speed limit, so the engine whined in protest all the way home. Jake would be there waiting for me, either on the family room floor or on the porch, anxious to tell me about his day and ask me about mine. Anxious to pull me into his arms and let my link relax.

On Friday, I arrived a little earlier than usual and he wasn't there yet. I wondered what was keeping him, but it gave me a chance to freshen up a little before he got there. I pulled a brush through my tangled hair and put a tiny bit of strawberry lip gloss on just for fun. I heard the motorcycle approaching just as I finished.

I looked out my bedroom window, watching him ride up. How could I have never noticed how sexy he looked on that bike? My God, what was so attractive about it? It was the bad-boy impression, the rough, strong biker guy. I mean, I loved sensitive-Jacob, but the image he cut on that motorcycle, the rebellious pseudo-criminal appearance that was sucking me in now, was making me aroused just watching him.

He turned off the bike and slung his leg over it, his boots crunching on the gravel. It momentarily crossed my mind that Charlie might not be pleased to see Jake on a motorcycle. But Charlie was more in love with Jake after this week than I was, if that was possible. It made me wonder if Charlie would forsake his long-standing aversion to any two-wheeled motorized vehicle.

I ran down to let him in, the tugging on my heart tighter than usual today for some reason. I threw the door open, spreading my arms wide to hug him as soon as I could.

The link reeled him in, just like it did every afternoon, and I attacked his lips like I'd been away from him for months rather than hours. _Oh!_ His scent washed over me, making me drunk, inebriated, soaked with his essence. I wanted to devour him, right here in broad daylight on the front porch. He pulled away with a laugh.

"Easy, girl," he said, as if he were calming a horse. "Don't get carried away out here in front of God and everybody."

I laughed self consciously. He was right; the way I was wrapped around him would have the neighbors talking for weeks. It wouldn't do to have Chief Charlie's daughter making out with some Native boy on her front stoop for the entire world to see. I pulled him inside, closing the door behind us.

"No homework?" he asked, seeing the family room devoid of the detritus of school. I shook my head as he pushed his cop-like mirrored sunglasses up on top of his head.

"Finished it all in study hall. Hey, that rhymed!" I laughed again.

He grinned. "You're in a good mood," he commented. "What's the occasion?"

"The occasion," I began, lifting up on tiptoe to plant a sloppy kiss on his cheek, "is that it's Friday and we have the whole weekend with no school to distract us." I smiled at him as I twined my arms around his neck.

"Oh, yeah," he said, as if he'd just remembered that fact. "I knew it was something like that. Hey, by the way." He grinned slyly. "I have a surprise for you."

"What?" I asked, eager as a child at the word.

"Wow, look at you. You really are in a good mood, aren't you?" he said, wrapping his arms around me.

"What's the surprise?" I persisted.

"The surprise is…" he said, drawing it out, "that we're having the bonfire tonight, so we can burn all those treasures of yours."

"That's not a surprise," I pouted.

"I'm not done! We're having the bonfire…and I got Charlie to agree to let you stay overnight at Emily's."

This was his big surprise? I guess it would be fun, but it didn't qualify as a good surprise in my book. I didn't want to disappoint him, though. He obviously thought it was great.

"That will be fun," I said, trying for enthusiasm and miserably failing.

He laughed at my pathetic attempt. "Okay, Bells, the real surprise is that Sam and Em are out of town. We'll have their place to ourselves."

"_What_?" I cried, excited beyond reason. "So we'll be alone?"

He squeezed me a little tighter. "You like my surprise?" he asked.

"I love your surprise," I said slyly. My arms coiled tightly around him. I could feel his heartbeat in my own chest. It was comforting, warming me and calming me. I sighed as I rested my head on his broad pecs.

"We should go, though. We have to get the bike out of here before Charlie shows up or he'll have my head. Come on, let's get back to the rez. Go get your stuff."

I rushed upstairs and threw together a little overnight bag with my bathroom stuff, clean pajamas, replacement underwear and clothes for tomorrow. I was back downstairs in a matter of minutes. I grabbed my jacket off the hook by the door as Jake took my hand.

We flew down the highway to La Push, my hair whipping out behind us, and I realized this was the first time I'd been a passenger on his bike. We'd always ridden separately up until now. I discovered that I loved this feeling of being fused to his back as he sped down the road. His muscular body protected me from the wind, and moving with him as he urged the motorcycle around turns and curves was thrilling, to say the least. I was enjoying it way more than I should have been.

We arrived at the rez much too soon, and he went down some unfamiliar streets to Emily's house. He drove the bike around back, parking it behind the house so no one going past on the road would see it. He held it steady as I got off.

"When are we supposed to meet everyone for the bonfire?" I asked him.

"After it gets dark. We'll be going out on the cliffs. We have a couple of hours," he assured me as his boots crunched across the gravel of Emily's driveway. "Come on, let's go in."

He held the old wooden screen door open for me as he unlocked the inner door. Then he stood back, allowing me to enter first.

The first thing I noticed was that there was soft music playing. It was an old Dean Martin song that I recognized from Renee's collection of music. It was called Sway, and its lilting melody drew me into the room. _When Marimba rhythms start to play, dance with me, make me sway...Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore, hold me close, sway me more..._

It was then that I noticed that someone had set the kitchen up to look like an old fashioned Italian restaurant. There was a red and white checkered tablecloth on the little wooden table, and a wine bottle with a wicker bottom in which a single white candle burned. The rich aroma of tomato sauce, peppers, and herbs assaulted my nose. My stomach twisted with hunger, though I had eaten lunch at the regular time and it wasn't nearly time for dinner. A basket of garlic bread covered with a white napkin rested on the table. Two white porcelain place settings sat next to one another, a single red rose on one of the plates.

I turned to look at him, awed. He had a proud grin on his face, and he watched me carefully. "Table for two?" he asked me, his eyebrows rising.

"Jake," I said quietly, touched by his sweet preparation of our evening. "How did you do all this?"

"I came home from school early," he said, ushering me to the table and pulling out my chair. "Sit down, I cooked for you."

"You cooked?" I asked, weakly sitting down and picking up the rose. I held it to my nose and inhaled its fragrance.

"I bet I know how to do _lots_ of things you'd be surprised by," he said with a naughty smirk. I could feel my face turn red.

"What did you make?" I asked, still dazzled by his planning.

"Sausage and peppers. And pasta. It's all ready. Are you hungry?" He busied about, pulling the oven open and removing a casserole dish and tending to a large pot on the stove.

"I'm starving, but I don't know why," I smiled. I couldn't get over the fact that he'd done all this just for me.

"Good," he said. He'd set all the dishes on the table and was ladling the pasta into a big blue bowl. He grated some fresh parmesan over it and brought it to the table as well, stopping at one cabinet and extracting two stemmed glasses. He put them next to the plates and proceeded to pour water from a dented tin pitcher into them. He pulled out his own chair and sat down, extending his hand and closing it over mine.

"There. Now isn't this nice?" he asked, staring into my eyes.

I was completely overwhelmed. Tears of happiness formed in the corners of my eyes. How could my big, strong wolf be this sweet, this tender? I felt like my face would burst from smiling.

He portioned out a helping of the pasta and piled it on my plate. He did the same with the sausage and pepper dish, then topped it off with a slice of the garlic bread. He dished up food onto his own plate as well, only he gave himself about three times the amount he'd given me. "Dig in, Bells. I wanna know if you like it."

"I love it," I told him sappily.

"You didn't even taste it yet!" he said with a laugh. "Come on, try some. It's the secret Black family recipe."

Laughing, I twirled my fork around the pasta and took a bite. It was perfect, though he could have served me a mud pie with worm stuffing and I'd have eaten it. "Mmmmm," I crooned for his benefit. The smile on his face was blinding.

The sausage and pepper dish was delicious too, and the garlic bread was the perfect accompaniment. I finished the dinner, wiping the sauce off my plate with the garlic bread crust. Jake had finished before me and sat watching me eat, the grin never leaving his face. Dean Martin continued to sing in the background, crooning about the moon hitting your eye like a big pizza pie. "You like Dean Martin?" I asked him.

"You kidding?" Jake said. "He's the King of Cool, Bells." I laughed.

"Renee used to listen to him all the time," I told him.

"She's got good taste," he commented, spearing a piece of sausage with his fork directly out of the casserole dish. He popped it into his mouth. "You ready for dessert?"

"You made dessert?" I asked, looking around.

"It's in the fridge," he said. "And I didn't make it. I draw the line at dessert." He got up and yanked open the refrigerator, taking out a bakery box. "It's tiramisu. I thought it went with the theme," he said, setting it on the table with a flourish. He removed the dinner plates and silverware, and took out little dessert plates and spoons.

I didn't know where he'd gotten the tiramisu, but like the rest of the meal, it was delicious. We ate it silently, maybe a little nervously. I knew what was coming. He'd planned this elaborate evening because tonight was the night. He was finally going to give in. So would he wait until after the bonfire? Or were we destined to do it right now? Maybe both! One time before and once after. My mind raced as I ate the creamy confection.

When we were both finished, I helped him clear the plates and put away the leftovers. Strangely silent, we simultaneously started to do the dishes. This time he washed and I dried. Once again, I was mesmerized by the movement of his muscles under his copper skin. I watched his tight gray t-shirt strain over his massive biceps as he worked, and imagined them later…straining for a different reason.

By the time we finished, the kitchen was spotless and there was nothing left to do. The tension in the room was so thick, I could have cut it with a knife. But he completely reassured me by wrapping his arms tightly around me and whispering into my hair, "I love you, Bella."

"I love you, Jake," I said back around the lump in my throat.

He leaned back, looking down into my face. "You know why I did all this?" he asked.

I bit my lip. "I think so," I said.

He didn't let on, he just grinned. "Good," he said. He let go of me. "It's getting dark out. Let's go meet the guys."

UGGGHHHH!


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Okay, this is it, the chapter we've all been waiting for – well, I've been waiting for it anyway. Lemons abound here, and please let me know what you think because it's my first try (for an audience.) Good or bad, I wanna know. **

CHAPTER 16

Jacob had all my hidden gifts and pictures in his car so the smell wouldn't bother him in his house. He'd put them all in a paper shopping bag and they were stowed in the trunk of his Rabbit. We drove to the cliffs and together he and I hiked up the path to the edge of the bluffs with him carrying the bag. The rest of the pack members were ready there and a large fire pit was stocked with wood. Small pieces of tinder and kindling rested against the base of one of the smaller logs. Quil was just getting ready to put a match to it when we walked up. Wait, Quil? Jacob hadn't mentioned that Quil had joined the pack. I was excited for him, but sad too. I didn't know how Quil felt about it, but I was sure he was glad to be back with his friends.

There were cries of, "Hey Jake!" and "They're here!" as we walked up. I felt like some sort of celebrity. Everyone watched Jake carefully. He looked at each pack member in turn, and I noticed something interesting. He seemed to be assessing them, and they met his gaze at first but then dropped their eyes. I knew what was happening; they were showing their respect and submission to their Alpha. They willingly accepted the fact that they were his subordinates. It was downright arousing. To my embarrassment, I could feel a trickle of wetness pooling in my panties.

Quil shook the match out, and handed the box of them to Jacob without a word, his eyes downcast. Jacob took them as if it were his due, and struck the match that would light the bonfire. While he was at it, he lit a fire in me that wasn't going to be put out anytime soon.

The flame of the match licked the kindling and caught it. Jake's evident expertise was even more captivating. The blaze took root, and the fire grew as we all watched. When it was big enough, Jake tossed the paper grocery bag full of my eighteenth birthday gifts into the flames.

With a bright orange flare, the bag was engulfed. That seemed to break the spell, and suddenly it was just a group of friends again, laughing and celebrating the weekend. Everyone sat on logs around the burning wood watching the flames glowing orange and red and blue in the night.

The stories of Victoria's elimination and the demise of Edward and Alice were rehashed over and over. The wolves took credit for everything, and though I knew some of the credit went to me for Victoria's death, I let it go. I was too busy watching Jacob running the show. The rest of the pack treated him with a deferential courtesy, an esteem that he seemed to take in stride as his birthright. He fit the Alpha. The Alpha fit him. I'd never noticed Sam being treated this way. Then again, I hadn't been paying attention, nor had I had very much exposure to Sam with the pack. But now I noticed everyone treating Jacob with this dutiful honor. I wondered if it would difficult for Sam to take when he was present.

For the first time, I noticed that Jake stood taller than any of them. He was more muscular, tougher, and more forceful than the other pack members, and that was just in his seemingly everyday dealings as he joked around with his friends surrounding the bonfire. The domineering look in his eyes as he surveyed his pack was enough to make me melt - which added to the wetness dampening my underwear.

So tonight was going to be our first time. I was nervous, there was no doubt about it. But I was also excited. How could I not be? He was the hottest guy I'd ever laid eyes on. He was superior to Edward in every way; for me, for the pack, and for the whole community. He could be sensitive – proven by the dinner and the romantic evening I knew he had planned for me. And he could be authoritative, powerful, and dominant. I saw it with the pack, and my heart pounded as I realized…I wanted to see it with _me_.

Of course, every girl wanted a man who was sensitive and in-tune to her feelings, especially when it was her _first time_. But that went right out the window when I thought about that Alpha voice he'd given to Seth earlier in the week. I wanted him to give _me_ an Alpha order. Something along the lines of, "Take your clothes off, Bella," or "Lie down and open your legs, baby." Something I'd be compelled to obey no matter what.

It wasn't that I wanted him to order me to do those things because I didn't _want_ to do them; I wanted to do them _desperately_. But I was nervous, and an unequivocal pronouncement from him obliging me to obey without question would make it so much easier. I'd _have_ to do it. The choice wouldn't be mine anymore.

He laughed as he talked to the guys around the fire, completely unaware of my shameless admiration. Or maybe he was used to constant blatant reverence, since the pack gave it to him so willingly. I stared at him in wonder, shivery as I waited for our big night.

I realized that it was an Alpha thing. I wondered if Jake was aware of it too. Had he seen Sam's hold over his imprint when they'd been phased together? Was there any way to hide something like that when they were wolves? There had to be; it was too embarrassing to even think about. I certainly wouldn't want the pack to know what was going on when Jake and I were…alone together. Especially if he were giving me commands.

Things finally settled down around the fire, the joking tapered off, and Jake came and sat next to me, placing my head down on his shoulder. I could feel the warmth radiating from him even as we sat in front of the blazing flames. He turned his head to look at me, and cupping his hand under my chin, lifted my face to kiss me.

I wasn't sure if it was the bonfire or Jacob's skin that heated me up so quickly. It was like a fuse had been lit and it was running directly through my body, ending up right between my legs. It burned there, slow and steady but growing hotter with every passing second. He kissed me softly, lightly brushing his lips across mine in an almost innocent way. It was like a first kiss, full of promises but still holding back, whetting my appetite for more to come. His full, warm lips grazed mine sweetly, and I breathed a contented sigh as the caress continued.

I could still hear the rest of the pack dimly in the background as Jake's thumb smoothed across my cheek, his hand still beneath my chin. They were still talking quietly, but the conversation was dying down. Kim and Jared were kissing in the darkness beyond the flames. Quil, Leah, Embry and Seth spoke softly, their heads clustered together around the fire. I knew I should be embarrassed at this public display of affection, but being with Jacob here on the dark cliffs felt so right, so normal, that I couldn't be shy. I turned my body toward his, encircling his neck with my arms and pulling him closer, deepening the kiss.

In my dim awareness, I was conscious of the fact that Jake was holding back as I tried to open my mouth to him. He wanted to be in charge here. This was_ his_ kiss; he'd started it and he wanted to own it. I willingly backed off, letting him direct me. Once I relinquished control, he opened my lips with his tongue, gently flicking it across mine with a deep sigh of content. He was _satisfied _that I'd so openly backed down. That excited me tremendously. I arched into him, pressing my breasts into his chest, eager for his warmth.

"God_damn_, Bells," he panted, his mouth against my lips. I heard Embry in the darkness behind us, chuckling. Jake lifted his head to glare at him, and the chuckling ceased.

"Let's get going," Jake said, getting up and pulling me to my feet. He slung his arm over my shoulder and pulled me back into his warm glow. After bidding goodbye to the rest of the pack, we walked back to the Rabbit and he settled me into the passenger's seat before getting into the car himself and starting the engine.

As we drove back to Emily's house, Jake talked to me as if nothing was going on. "So, did you notice anything while we were at the bonfire?" he asked me conversationally.

"Quil phased?" I asked.

"Well, yeah, that was obvious. Anything else?"

Was he trying to ask if I'd noticed that the pack treated him so differently now since he'd become the Alpha? I wasn't even sure if I was supposed to let on that I knew about it. After all, he hadn't told me himself. I'd heard it from Emily.

"Um…" I stalled for time. I really didn't want to admit that Emily had told me.

"Quil imprinted! On Leah! Isn't that crazy?" he grinned at me.

"Wow," I said, genuinely surprised. "I didn't notice anything. I thought Quil and Leah didn't really get along very well."

"I know! That's why it's so funny! They're constantly bickering. It should be pretty hilarious to watch how this whole thing plays out."

"Everyone can't have a perfect imprint like we do," I said with a smile and a sidelong glance at him.

He moved his hand off the gearshift and grabbed mine. "It _is_ perfect," he said, his face breaking into a grin. "_You're_ perfect." He sounded like he wanted to say more, but he stopped.

I decided to approach the Alpha subject in a roundabout way. "I noticed another thing, Jake," I said. "The pack seems to treat you…a little different than they used to." I looked at him carefully.

He was immediately uncomfortable. "Yeah, I know," he said, shifting in his seat.

"What's that all about?" I asked.

We were pulling up to Emily's house now, and he took the opportunity to effectively end the conversation."We're here," he said, turning off the ignition and opening the door. He was around the car in a second, and opening my door for me. I saw that he didn't want to discuss the Alpha thing any more, so I dropped it. Besides, we were here. This was it.

He put his hand down to help me out of the car. I took it and he pulled me up, catching me in a stifling embrace. His whole body was trembling – or was that mine?

We went into the house. He was treating me with kid gloves; holding the door open, allowing me to enter first, helping me with my jacket. I understood; he wanted to spoil me a little. Who was I to complain?

As soon as we were in the house, he turned to me and wrapped his arms around me. My heart pounded against his chest – this was the moment. I was about to find out what all the fuss was about.

He bent his head to kiss me, tentatively at first, and after the kiss at the bonfire I relinquished all control to him. I could feel the pull of the link, making me want to be closer to him though I was as close as I could be. But still it pulled insistently. It wanted us closer than close. I felt like I couldn't get near enough to him to make the link relax.

As he kissed me, he walked me backward toward the rear of the house where I assumed the bedroom would be. My eyes were closed and my hands twisted into his hair. Our breathing escalated, the excitement almost too much to bear.

Finally he backed away, his eyes warm and bright with anticipation. "God, Bells, I've waited so long for this," he breathed.

I nodded, unable to form coherent sentences. The cotton panel in my panties was soaked by now, and getting wetter every second. I was never more aware of that little triangle between my legs as I was at this minute.

Suddenly, he lifted me and hiked my legs up around his hips. I let out a squeak as he pulled me close, my crotch right up against his tight, hot abs. It felt amazing, but it scared me. He moved forward into the bedroom, catching my lips between his as one hand held my thigh against his side and the other smoothed up my back.

He stopped abruptly and bent his knees, leaning forward so that I was horizontal. He placed me on the bed and I immediately scooted upwards, so my head was on one of the pillows.

"Just so you're not too self-conscious," he began. "I want to let you know that this isn't Sam and Emily's bed. It's her spare bedroom, so no one usually sleeps in here. I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

I smiled. How sweet of him to be concerned. And he was right; I was wondering if this was where Sam and Emily usually slept. That would be a little strange.

"Okay," I said, almost inaudibly. There was a lump in my throat that was proving to be hard to talk around. A golf-ball sized knot of excitement.

He watched me through smoldering eyes as he knelt back on the bed. With one smooth move, he reached behind his neck and using only one hand, pulled his t-shirt free of his body. Oh my God. The light from the tiny bedside lamp threw his six-pack into bold relief. Every shadow held a promise.

His hands reached down to the top button of his fly. Without breaking eye contact, he undid it and I watched his fingers move down to the next button. He was wearing button-fly jeans? _Get on with it already! _my brain insisted. He couldn't have worn a pair of jeans with a zipper tonight? Just in the interest of _time_?

The buttons were all undone now, but he made no move to take the jeans off. Instead they spread open, a dark vee from which a tangle of curly black fur protruded. The little path of hair from his navel formed the tail of an arrow. _Here, Bella!_ it seemed to shout as it pointed its sassy way. _What you're looking for is right down here_!

So he was going to tease me with his pants half-open, was he? Well, two could play at that game. I reached for the hem of my top, and started to slowly pull it up over my stomach, baring my middle and feeling cool air wash over me. I shivered a little.

His hand stopped me. "No, Bells," he said. "I'm doing this."

The lump in my throat was suddenly a mountain. With unbearable sweetness, he raised the top up past my bra, over my head, and as I raised my arms compliantly, slid it off. He folded it carefully and put it on the nightstand. His warm palms pressed against my chest, and he slid his hands down over my breasts softly until I could feel the heat on my nipples through my bra. He kept his hands there as he stared into my face, and I watched him gulp once. His breathing was erratic as he moved his hands down to my waist and began to fumble at the button of my jeans.

He got it undone and then his fingers grasped the little tag of the zipper. Slower than slow, he pulled it down, tooth by tooth, until it reached the bottom. Then he took a deep breath.

"Lift up, babe," he urged, his hands at my hips giving me a little nudge in that direction. I gave in instantly, lifting my butt off the bed while he tugged my jeans down. He stood up as he pulled them off my legs, then folded them and put them on the nightstand too.

I lay there in nothing but a bra and panties, one arm crossed over my chest and the other hand cupping my damp panties. He came back to lie down beside me on the bed. He looked at me for a minute, closed off as I was, and then his eyes narrowed and met mine.

"Bella, don't hide yourself from me," he said huskily, and the underlying Alpha tone that crept into his voice directed me to obey without question. My hands moved away as if they had a mind of their own to lie docile at my sides. "That's my girl," he said appreciatively, and I felt another gush of wetness seep into my underwear. Yes, I _wanted_ him to see me like this. Of course I did. It was something stupid, some unwritten social code, that kept me from admitting it. Good girls didn't let boys see them in their bras and panties. But he took that shyness, that fear of flouting the social customs, away from me. I felt safe and warm as he gazed at my body.

Without a word, his hands now moved to his hips, and he slid his jeans down and swept them off in one fluid movement, tossing them carelessly on the floor. He was naked under them. "No underwear?" I whispered with a squeal. He laughed.

"Underwear will never be in fashion for werewolves," he said, as if he were reciting a well-known proverb. I giggled, and it felt good to let off a little of my nervousness.

I allowed myself a look at what I'd been waiting to see since that afternoon when I heard we'd have Emily's house to ourselves tonight.

I'd never actually seen a real live penis before, but my _God_! Were they all this big? And why was it _moving_? It bounced happily, counting each beat of his heart. Did they all do that? Or was this a wolf thing?

I didn't think there was any way that thing would fit inside me. Its length was one thing, but the girth was what really had me scared. I squeezed my legs together just at the thought. I'd expected it to be roughly the width of a banana or something to that effect. That's what they used in health class to demonstrate how to put condoms on, wasn't it? But this! This appeared to be nearly double that size, if that were possible. And the length was nothing to scoff at, either. It had to be ten or twelve inches long! My eyes were as round as saucers.

Jake saw my face and the look he gave me melted my heart. It was so kind and accepting, it nearly brought tears to my eyes. He chuckled self-consciously.

"Yeah, I know. Don't worry, baby. We'll get you there. It doesn't have to be all at once."

_Oh_! The things he said were so _perfect_! Every word added to the growing pool in my undies.

His eyes were soft as his fingers deftly unlatched the fastener at the front of my bra. It popped open and I held my breath, anxious that he would like what he saw. He glanced down and I could feel my breasts begin to warm beneath his gaze. As the cool night air sifted over my bare chest, my nipples bunched like cherries, standing up stiffly as if to allow him a better view.

"Oh, Bella, I…" he began, but he was instantly overcome. His hands slid down my arms to my wrists and held them steady as his full mouth dipped to taste my erect buds. First his lips encircled the left one, sucking softly as his tongue played over the very tip. A moan escaped as I lifted up into him, feeding my breast into his mouth, my head falling back languidly.

His right hand left my wrist and his fingers closed over my nipple, pinching and rolling it between his thumb and middle finger. He sucked the other one in, the feeling exquisite as he rolled his tongue over the sensitive flesh. I nudged my hips into his abdomen, heedless of the fact that my panties were wet enough to be wrung out. The thin cotton clung to him as I boldly rubbed my center against his hard stomach.

He pulled is warm mouth away from my nipple, the air in icy contrast to his fevered tongue. "Holy fuck," he groaned as his hand left my breast and reached for the sodden part of my underwear. "Baby, you're so wet."

"I'm sorry," I whispered, immeasurably mortified.

"Sorry for _what_?" he gasped. "It's the hottest fucking thing ever." His hand swept over my core, over the fabric of my skivvies, stroking along my folds. He propped himself up on one elbow and stared at me as his hand worked wonders below my waist. I couldn't close my eyes, though I wanted to desperately.

"These have got to go," he said, slipping one finger beneath the crotch of my panties and actually _touching_ my bare softness. I gasped once, then let out a little sigh. He took it as a sign of acquiescence, and pulling directly on the wet cotton between my legs, he tugged the panties off and tossed them on the nightstand with the rest of my clothes.

We were naked.

The feeling of skin on skin was incomparable. His warm body blanketed me in a seething glow of desire. His burly pecs pressed into my chest, our hearts beating together, both of them steady and fast. Our stomachs molded into one; and lower, his hardness strained into my upper thigh. He held it carefully away from its ultimate goal, somehow knowing that I needed a little more time.

But _oh_, the feeling of his weight on top of me! The pressure of his hip bones digging into my sides! His mouth on mine, causing me to quiver with anticipation. His hand crept up to my naked breast and resumed rolling my nipple gently between his fingers. Like there was a little wire connecting the tip of my breast to the pink kernel between my thighs, I could feel an electric surge there. He moved his head down to my other breast, and fixed his lips just around the tip. His tongue flicked over it, driving me insane.

I wanted to make him feel as good as he was making me feel. I reached down toward his enormous member, aiming to grasp it as I'd heard I should from gym class gossip. I put my hand over the top, and felt a smear of something wet and slippery. It made my breath catch in my throat. Now I knew what he meant when he said my wetness was hot. His was, too. Nothing was sexier than knowing I did that to him.

He moaned as I spread the wetness over the top of him. The part of him that was under my palm seemed to move, to shiver. I stroked it softly, hesitantly. He stopped sucking my nipple and laid his head back on the pillow, collapsing with a harsh sigh and scrubbing his hand over his face in ecstasy.

"Fuck, baby," he said, "that feels amazing."

"Want me to do more?" I asked, unsure. "Like go faster or something?"

"Ohhhh," he moaned. "Don't change a thing, honey. It's incredible."

I kept kneading him, trying to rub up and down like I thought I was supposed to, though my hand barely fit around the width. He arched his hips up off the bed into my grip and something occurred to me. What if I put the end of his erection, that slippery part, in my mouth? He'd love that, wouldn't he?

I shimmied down the bed a little and propped myself up on one elbow. Sliding my hand down the shaft a little, I continued to stroke slowly as I bent to take him into my mouth.

My mouth connecting with the throbbing head of his member made him grasp the sheets beneath him, burying his fists in the bed. He exhaled heavily, groaning with pleasure. His hand moved to the back of my head, and his neck extended back as his breath hissed between his teeth.

The taste of him was breathtaking, sweet and maple-y like the rest of him with a little salty bitterness mixed in. The smooth hardness on my tongue made my mouth water. I sucked it in eagerly, careful not to bite. I loved that I was making him feel good too.

He let it go on for about three minutes before he sat up, leaning on his elbows and begging me to stop. "Bella, baby, you gotta cut it out. I'm not gonna be able to hold back if you don't stop."

"But I don't want to stop," I said, panting. I was enjoying it as much as he was.

He sat up completely and put his hands on either side of my face. "Baby, it feels _too_ good. You're incredible. It's gonna make me finish this too soon, and I don't want to do that. Okay?" He kissed me. His erection didn't change in the least, even though my mouth was nowhere near it. If anything, it looked bigger.

He continued to kiss me as he pulled me up his body so I was lying on top of him. He shifted us so we were face to face on our sides, my knee resting over his thigh. In that position, his hand could easily rest on my upper leg, and he began to caress the smooth expanse of my thigh, his hot palm moving upward.

He kept up the kissing as his hand reached my hip bone. It stopped there momentarily, the heat spreading out from it like his fingers were on fire. I was motionless with anticipation and anxiety as his hand crept toward my center.

Suddenly I gasped as his finger found the exact spot that throbbed longingly for his touch. The warm tip of his pointer grazed across my slick folds, causing a tremble that made me lose control for a second. _Ohh_! It felt more amazing than I'd even imagined.

The finger on my center continued to stroke slowly, barely touching me, up and down. I wanted to grab his wrist and jam it home, rub myself against him until I achieved what I so desperately needed. But I knew he wanted the control tonight, so I didn't move as his hand continued its magic touch.

His hand shifted down, and one finger paused at my entrance. It was hotter than hot, poised there as we both waited for this moment. The finger that had been stroking me so pleasantly was now gone, and I gave a tiny nudge with my hips, a frustrated moan emanating from my open mouth.

He chuckled deeply. "Ah, ah, ah," he said softly, as if scolding a naughty child. "Be a good girl and take your time."

"Oh my God, Jake," I panted longingly.

At that he gently pushed his finger inside me, filling me with heat and pleasure. He smoothed it slowly in and out and the feeling was unbelievably arousing. After several strokes, he pulled back and waited again. I was careful this time not to make a sound or to move. But _ugh_! It was so hard! In spite of my resolve, I began to whimper.

He leaned over me and said, "Bella, look at me." I opened my eyes, which had been squeezed shut, and looked up into his face, swimming before me. As he held my gaze, his eyes darkened and, without looking away he slowly slid two fingers into me.

"_Ohhh_," I sighed softly, my eyes clenching shut as I savored the incredible sensation of fullness. But he stilled his hand directly inside me, and my eyes popped open, confused.

"I said _look at me_," he said huskily, his voice rough and the Alpha coming through. I stared like a deer in the headlights and watched as his eyes took on a hooded look, narrowing languidly as his pupils grew so large his irises were effectively hidden. He began moving his fingers again - …in…out… - and the feeling was so exquisite, so intense as we looked into each others' eyes, that I nearly went over the edge right then and there. My link screamed for _something_, something I couldn't identify but that was nearly overwhelming in its fervor.

The motion of his hand was taking me up to the brink with every caress, and as his fingers kneaded me from the inside, his thumb took over on the crest of my softness. Lazily he swept it back and forth across the hardened nub as I came closer and closer to letting everything go.

We were still looking into each others' eyes, both of us panting raggedly as he urged me toward my culmination, when finally I didn't think I could take any more. A profound pleasure overtook me as my insides began to clench. His eyes softened and he urged with the Alpha still in his husky inflection, "Come on, baby. Come for me."

That was it. Both hands went to his wrist as I flung myself over the edge, my eyes squeezing shut, my legs pressing together. I pushed his hand into me, gasping, moaning, sighing, as my body trembled with pleasure. The exquisite feeling went on and on, and he followed me the entire time, both fascinated and superior, watching my response to his skill.

Finally the quaking stopped, and I let go of his hand and reached up to grasp his face and pull him close. I hungrily drew his lips to mine, sucking him in eagerly, my breath quick and irregular. "Oh my God, Jake, I love you so much," I whispered between kisses. He chuckled against my mouth.

"You're so incredibly beautiful, Bells," he said. "That was unbelievable."

I huffed a tiny breath of pleasure as I reached down to his throbbing appendage, taking it boldly and positioning it right between my legs, where it belonged. "Now you," I said quickly, rolling my hips forward, an invitation to which no RSVP was necessary.

"Bells, baby," he began. "Maybe we should wait…" I stopped him with a finger on his lips.

"We're doing this," I said, imitating his Alpha voice.

He sighed in pleasure and moved over me, resting most of his weight on his hands. He was right there, right where he belonged, and I parted my thighs to welcome him in.

His eyes took on that hooded look again as he moved forward inch by inch. Just the head moved into me and he stopped, allowing me a second to accommodate his girth. I breathed carefully, concentrating on the feeling of fullness instead of the one of stretching.

It burned a little as he moved forward again. My insides expanded to let him in, and the feeling was a delicious kind of pain. He moved forward again, just an inch at a time. Thinking of his length, I smiled secretly as I thought we'd probably be here all night at this rate. But the straining of my insides to harbor him wiped the smile away and replaced it with a grimace.

"Are you okay?" he asked gruffly, watching me intently, concern etched into his face.

"I'm a lot better than just okay," I panted.

"You sure I'm not hurting you?" he asked.

"Oh, Jake," I crooned, touching my lips to his. "It doesn't _hurt_, exactly. It's just stretching."

"You'll tell me if I hurt you, right?" he asked, the look on his face utterly heartbreaking.

"Yes, yes… please, Jake. Please don't stop!" I buried my fists in his hair, pulling him back down to me and devouring his lips.

"Okay," he sighed, and pushed a little further. I could feel the tension build, the pulling within as it stretched and suddenly, there was a rupture inside me and he sank in further, without resistance. I gasped a high-pitched sigh and he stopped again.

"Bella, seriously, am I hurting you?" he asked urgently.

"No, Jake, no," I whispered. "It's better now. I think…I think you just pushed through. It should be easier from here." My eyes were shut as I tried to control the tears that threatened to spill. I didn't want him to stop just because of a little pain. I could take it. I _wanted_ to take it. I wanted him inside me; all the way in. Abruptly I knew what the link needed. It needed him _in_ me - as close as we could be.

He pushed once more, and this time I nudged my hips up into his. That was it; it was all he could take. He thrust immediately to the hilt, suddenly plunging all the way in. "Fuck," he grunted raggedly. He was so _big_! He stopped there, completely embedded in me, my link finally relaxed but my core burning with the bulk of him. It took a second, but the relaxing of my link caused everything in me to finally go slack, and all at once the pain disappeared and all that was left was this amazing feeling of fullness and contentment. The feeling of the link from before, that satisfaction low in my belly that I'd felt whenever Jake was nearby, was a mere shadow of what I felt now. I was filled with light, with luxurious enjoyment, and almost instantly, I began to tremble with a second climax.

This time it was more than exquisite; it was utterly consuming. He began to thrust into me, over and over as I shook with rapture until I felt the hot rush of his pinnacle surge inside me. The noises he made were overpowering, and our moans and whines of pleasure mingled together into a cry of passion I was afraid would be heard over the entire reservation.

Oh.

My.

God.

Jacob recovered before I did, and he lifted up on his elbows, looking down into my face with an almost tangible love, his hands playing in my hair. "Jesus, Bells," he said.

"I know," I gasped. "Pretty fucking unbelievable, huh?"

He laughed. "Language," he admonished, throwing an arm around my neck and pulling my head to his shoulder. I snuggled in, exhausted.

"Love you," he sighed, drifting off.

"Love you," I answered, but I was already asleep.

**So? Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. What did you think of Quil and Leah (we don't need the weird Claire vibe now because Jake isn't imprinting on a baby or anything). And was the last part okay? Was it 'good for you?' Review, please – I don't usually ask, but I want to know this time…**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: YAY! I'm so glad everyone liked the last chapter; I was really nervous. Anyway, onward and upward. Jake and Bells are having their morning after, and I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did. **

**ALSO! I was nominated for an Engergize WIP (work in progress) Award for Most Promising Twilight FanFiction-NonCanon! I'm so excited to be nominated. Voting is from Nov 13-20 and I'll remind you guys again when the time comes. Thanks so much for all your support! =)**

**Once again, as usual, anything you recognize isn't mine.**

CHAPTER 17

We woke up the next morning twisted together, his hand over my middle as I lay on my back, our legs scissored with each other. The surge of happiness I felt as I looked at his face, slack with slumber, took my breath away. He looked like a kid lying there, sound asleep, but I knew better. He was a man. And I was pretty sure I'd had something to do with making him that way.

My eyes traveled across his body, taking in the incredible perfection of him. We were still naked, and as my eyes raked over him in the daylight I caught my breath again at his sheer size. God, had I really taken all of _that _inside me? It didn't seem possible. Even in its flaccid state, it was truly a sight to behold.

As I tried to move away from him, though, I felt rather than remembered the activities of last night. I was in _pain_ – in the best way, of course, but still. My legs felt like I'd had a major workout, and my insides were sore and tender. Even my lips felt swollen. I put my hand up to feel them, smiling self-consciously.

I didn't want to wake him up, but I wanted to make breakfast for him since he'd made dinner for me the night before. I tried to slide out from underneath his arm, but it didn't work. He woke up right away.

"Where you going, baby?" he asked drowsily, pulling my hand so I'd stay.

I smiled down at him. "To cook you breakfast," I answered.

"Uh uh," he disagreed, hoisting himself out of bed to stand next to me, naked and magnificent. "You're not going anywhere." He stared down at me, taking me in the same way I'd looked at him. He wanted to see me in the daylight too.

His arms pulled me close, his head bending to bury his face in my hair. "God, baby, you look good enough to eat," he whispered huskily.

"Hmm, where have I heard that before?" I asked facetiously. "And if you're that hungry, let me cook for you."

He laughed. "Okay," he said agreeably. He pulled me by the hand toward the bedroom door.

"Where are we going? I'm not dressed!" I protested.

"No, and you're not _getting _dressed," he said, swinging the door open and pulling me into the hall.

I stopped, forcing him to stop too, and he looked back at me with a gleeful look of mischief on his face. "Um, no, Jake. I don't think so. I draw the line at cooking naked. Something might spatter or something." I was serious. I'd had enough burns in the past week to last me a lifetime.

His laugh echoed in the tiny house. "Okay, Bells," he said. "You go do your bathroom thing, and I'll scare up something for us to wear."

Relieved, I went back and picked up my bag of bathroom stuff, then went and saw to my morning routine. Though I was still sore – and, I found out, a little bloody – I felt much better after brushing my teeth and washing my hands and face. I looked in the mirror. Sex hair. Ugh! I pulled my hairbrush through it, taming it back so it looked relatively normal.

Jacob waited outside the door with a bathrobe for me. He'd put on a pair of nylon basketball shorts which did nothing but accentuate the monster within. I shrugged the robe on and made my way down to the kitchen, walking just a little slower than usual as he followed me.

"Um, are you okay, Bella?" he asked uncertainly when we were in the kitchen.

"I'm fine, why?" I turned to him, mystified.

"You're walking kind of funny," he said worriedly.

I laughed. "_You_ lose your v-card to a giant wolf and see how _you_ walk the next day!" I joked.

He wrapped me up in one of his big, warm hugs. "Aw, baby," he crooned softly in my ear. "You didn't _lose_ it. You gave it. You gave it to me so sweet, honey. It's more special to me than anything. I'm so sorry you're sore."

I was touched by his depth of emotion. I was kidding when I'd joked about losing my virginity, but he was right; if I was going to give it to anyone, he was the perfect person. We were tied together now. I was so glad now that nothing had ever happened with Edward. This was a gift I could only give once. I was beyond happy that I'd been able to save it for Jake.

Still keeping my light tone, I said, "I'm fine, Jacob. It's normal, okay?"

"I never want to hurt you, Bells," he said sincerely, and I knew he meant every word. I thought about how he always tried to keep me safe and happy and how he usually was successful. However, something suddenly occurred to me, a time when he'd inadvertently hurt me, though I didn't think he was aware of it.

"Jake…remember a few nights ago, at Charlie's? You said that we 'needed' to wait. What made you change your mind?"

His eyebrows squeezed together as he thought. "Hm!" he exclaimed. "I don't know what changed. It was like, I knew it was okay last night. That's a good question." He looked like he was still trying to figure it out, his face confused. "Maybe I'll ask Sam."

I shrugged. I was curious, but it didn't really make a difference, to be honest. I was just glad that we'd finally solidified our relationship. It was amazing … to be his imprint, to be his first, for him to be my first. There wasn't much else that could tie us together at this point in our lives. We weren't old enough to be married or anything. It made me feel warm and happy that we were tied together in all the ways that we could be now.

We ended up cooking breakfast together, a conglomeration of hash browns, scrambled eggs, bacon, cheese, and tomatoes that was delicious. Jacob joked that it was another "secret Black family recipe," and made me turn around while he added the "special ingredient" which I suspect was Tabasco sauce.

After we'd eaten and Jacob had devoured a package of chocolate chip cookies for good measure, he looked at me over the sink of dishes we were washing. "Hey, um…I could really use a shower," he said, his demeanor unsure.

I felt self-conscious too. "Uh, okay," I said, my voice wavering annoyingly. "I'll wait and take mine when you're done."

"Or…we could take one together," he suggested hopefully.

I gulped around the lump suddenly forming in my throat, rinsing the last of the suds down the drain. "I guess we could," I said faintly. "It would…save water." I found myself staring into the sink, my face burning with the awkwardness of the situation.

He laughed, putting his arms around me. I felt much better when we were touching, when his warmth was permeating my body. Somehow it wiped all the awkward away. "We don't have to, Bells. But I'd love to see you all wet and naked."

His words made me blush even more, but the thought of him wet and naked was pretty tempting too. He had this great way of making me feel comfortable when I was distressed. I stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear, "I'd love to see you like that, too."

He pulled back, a surprised grin on his face. "Why, Isabella Swan," he said mockingly. "You dirty little tramp, you."

I laughed with him as we proceeded down the hall to the bathroom.

Emily's bathroom was the one room in the house that didn't look like it was decorated in Early Garage Sale. Evidently they'd decided to splurge here, and there was a large tub, walk-in shower with two shower heads, and twin sink basins in the vanity. "I love this bathroom; it's really nice," I commented as we both went in.

"Sam totally gutted it and redid it with Paul and Jared. Believe me, it was a lot less expensive than it looks."

I was confused. Why did he feel the need to comment on the cost? "Who cares how expensive it was?" I asked.

His eyes narrowed as he looked at me thoughtfully. "It's a rez thing," he said. "We don't like to be too showy."

I thought about this for a second. True, they were an underprivileged tribe on the whole, but they seemed to get by okay. Their clothes might not be the latest fashions or their cars the newest models, but there was a simple, honest enjoyment of life here that I envied. I admired the Quileutes. I wanted to be more like them, and understanding them was the key. I took what Jake said to heart. In the future, I'd try to be less "showy" too, though I was pretty sure I fit in. My truck was an old hand-me-down and my clothes could never be considered stylish. I smiled at Jake to show I got the picture.

It seemed his mind was elsewhere. He was about to drop his shorts, but he was looking at me brazenly. "Both of us together?" he asked, one eyebrow raised cockily.

I rolled my eyes and untied the belt of the bathrobe. He lowered his shorts slowly, that look of frisky devilment on his face as he watched me part the robe. When I was about to actually reveal a nipple, he stopped just short of showing me anything. So I stopped too.

"Come on," he urged, mischief snapping in his black eyes.

"I thought it was supposed to be both of us together," I complained with an impish grin.

"On three," he said, a laugh in his voice. "One….two…."

Lightning quick, I reached over and yanked his pants down, yelling, "Three!" as I did. He laughed and reached up to pull the robe off my shoulders. We were both naked again and, the task done, he turned to the shower, turning on the hot water and adjusting the spray from both shower heads so they pointed directly into the center of the stall.

We got into the shower and I stood under the hot stream, letting my head fall back so my hair got soaked immediately. I sighed with pleasure. Up until last night, I would've said that nothing felt better than a hot shower, but now it came in a close second to the mind blowing orgasms I'd had. The pounding jet on my head relaxed away any remaining shyness I felt from Jacob and I becoming…intimate. I leaned back, raising my hands to run through my wet hair and massaging my scalp so that I moaned contentedly.

He started washing my back. He poured some sweet-smelling body wash on a washcloth and began soaping up my back, then his hands took over as he reached around me, paying special attention to my breasts. His soap-slick hands slipped over my nipples, rubbing them beneath his hot fingers and making them stand up, erect with pleasure. I sighed, leaning back into his chest and resting my head on his shoulder. He bent his head down as I turned my lips up toward his. He kissed me deep and hard, his hot hand moving down to soap my stomach. I could feel his other hand going to his own crotch, moving slowly up and down behind me.

The thought of him touching himself turned my insides to jelly. I felt my knees go weak. Okay, maybe he was just washing himself, but God_damn_, that was erotic! And…I didn't think he was just soaping up. I was pretty sure he was…pleasuring himself.

I continued to kiss him, but opened my eyes to see his face wincing in delicious rapture. His eyebrows were drawn together almost as if he were in pain, but I'd seen that face last night. It wasn't pain he was experiencing now. It was hot, naked gratification, and he moaned as his tongue played tag with mine.

I wanted to turn around and watch him _so bad_, but I stopped myself. He was doing it behind my back, so maybe he didn't want me to know. But how could I not? The swollen head of his enormous shaft battered against my ass every time he jerked outward. I could feel its heat as it slipped across my butt. Did he think I couldn't tell what he was doing?

I _really_ wanted to see this. Feigning breathlessness, I pulled away from his kiss and twisted in his arms so that we were almost face to face. His expression didn't change, though his mouth pursed and he hissed in air loudly through gritted teeth. His hand continued to knead my breast, his eyes squeezed shut as I stared, fascinated, at his handiwork.

With practiced moves, he stroked himself in a leisurely way as if he had all day. His eyes opened and he looked right at me through the narrowed slits. Now he knew I was watching and it seemed to abruptly spur him on. His head dropped back, his neck elongating in front of me, his right hand fisted around his rod, rubbing it with growing speed. He was rough with it, much rougher than I would have thought to be, and he pulled harder and harder on the downstroke. His voice was raspy as he groaned out a long, "Ahhhhh," between clenched jaws.

His head raised back up so he was looking at me again, and as his steamy gaze held mine, he began to breathe heavily, exhaling with each long pull. His hand left my breast to reach beneath his pole and pull his nuts up, roughly palming them in his hand. His breathing became more ragged as he pulled two more times, and then hot spurts of man milk were arching across the shower, splattering on the wall and disappearing down into the drain. All the while his eyes held mine, even as his body jerked with each eruption. It was, hands down, the sexiest thing I'd ever witnessed.

"Mother _fuck_," he exclaimed softly, one hand plastered against the tiles and his head falling to his bicep. He took a deep breath, seeming to center himself, then shot me a naughty grin. "That works a lot better when you're actually standing there, instead of just Fantasy Bella."

I laughed, pulling him in for a long kiss. "That was the hottest thing I've ever imagined, Jake," I whispered.

"It's your turn, Bells. Let me see how you do it."

I was struck dumb, silently staring at him and not moving a muscle. "What?" I asked, although I knew just what he'd said.

"Come on, babe. You next." His voice took on a coaxing tone as he chucked me under the chin. "Let me see what _you_ do."

"Jake," I protested softly, mortified. "I don't 'do.' I've never touched myself before in my life!"

"Never?" he asked incredulously. "You gotta be kidding. I've been doing it since I could walk!"

I shook my head, a little smile in my eyes. "No, never," I told him truthfully.

"I think you'd like it, baby. You want to try it? There's a first time for everything."

"Jacob, no!" I protested. "I'm too embarrassed."

He looked down at me, his face soft and earnest. "Embarrassed about what, Bells? I love you. I'd love to see that, just like you liked watching me. You did, right? You didn't think it was gross or anything, did you?"

"N—no," I stuttered. "I thought it was beautiful." I did. He _was_ beautiful.

"Just like I think you're beautiful," he said. He took my hand in his. "Here, let me help you. Just take your finger…" He shaped my hand so my finger was extended, then pulled it down between my thighs. "And touch. Right here." He put my fingertip right…_there_…right where the center of everything was. He began to stroke it slowly up and down along my cleft, concentrating on that hooded bundle of nerves at the tip of it.

It was slick with my syrupy secretions, and that made my finger slide easily over the puffy outer lips of my center. He held my stare like before, like when he came, and I gazed up at him, enchanted. How did he get me to do this?

Because he was right. I didn't just like it; I loved it. He'd let me see him vulnerable and exposed, so why shouldn't he see me like that? I realized that I wanted him to watch me do this. I didn't care if he saw me, fragile and unguarded as I was. I wanted to give him the experience he'd given me.

He continued to help me, moving my hand in the way he thought would feel the best. But pretty soon, I took over. I reached up with my other hand and captured one nipple between my thumb and forefinger, rolling it slowly as he watched, fascinated. "Holy _fuck_," he whispered, his gaze unblinking as if he were afraid he'd miss something.

My other hand played between my legs as I madly rocked my hips back and forth, my finger grazing just exactly where it needed to. I was barely touching it, only little flicks with the very tip of my finger, but it was driving me wild. He leaned back, cocking his head to the side as if to get a better look down there, and my head fell back just like his had, the ecstasy too much to bear.

"_Oh…oh_!" I exclaimed, the heat building as I caressed myself, smoothing my fingertip over my swollen little pearl of pleasure. Suddenly his lips were on mine, and his tongue hot in my mouth, and all I could see or feel or hear or touch was Jacob-Jacob-_Jacob!_

As I came back to my senses, I realized I'd actually yelled his name out loud. I covered my face with my hands and whispered, "Oh my God," completely overcome with emotion. That was utterly incredible!

"You okay, honey?" he asked, all concerned because my legs didn't seem to want to stop trembling.

"I'm gonna sit down, okay?" I asked as I slid to the floor of the shower. The hot water continued to pound us as he sunk down next to me and pulled me into his safe embrace.

His lips traveled over my hair, down past my ears, along my jaw as he whispered, "Shit, baby, that was amazing, you're so beautiful, God, I love you so much…" I just concentrated on making the dizzy go away.

He finally sat back a little, though his arms were still around me. "You okay?" he asked again. I nodded.

"Just a little dizzy," I smiled weakly.

"Blew your own mind, huh?" he asked, his grin blinding. I burst out laughing.

"Yeah. Holy shit," I managed.

"Yeah, holy shit just about covers it. I told you that you'd like it." He reached up and pulled down a bottle of shampoo. He poured some into his hand and soaped up my hair, then his. He grabbed one of the shower heads and rinsed us both off as we sat by the drain. It was delicious having his strong fingers massage my scalp.

"You want conditioner?" he asked, staring in confusion at two bottles, one in each hand. "She's got Honey Shea Butter and Almond Mint."

"You pick," I said, and the shower was suddenly filled with a steamy aroma of almonds and the sharp scent of mint. He smoothed it through my hair, and left it to sit. "We have to leave it on," he said, reading the label. I was surprised he didn't know about conditioner. He'd had the silkiest long hair on the planet at one time.

"Didn't you ever use conditioner before?" I asked.

"No, Bells, I'm a man. See?" He pointed to his still-erect penis with a big smile.

I laughed. "No, I mean when you had long hair. It was always so soft and glossy, like satin. Didn't you put conditioner on it?"

"Uh, no," he said. "Again, I'm a _man_. You of all people should know that."

"I loved your long hair," I mused, ignoring his ridiculous comments.

"You did?" he asked quickly.

"Yeah, it was so pretty. You looked so sexy with it."

"Sexy, huh?" he asked. "I could grow it back if you want."

"Why did you cut it, anyway?" I asked.

"Because it's a pain in the ass when I'm phased if it's long. The first time I phased, I was like, tripping over it."

"Well, Jake, if it's too much trouble," I began doubtfully.

"No, no, it's not any trouble," he said. "I'd love to do it for you. And it would make my wolf look more…majestic or something."

"What do you need to look majestic for?" I asked casually, though I was continuing the conversation from last night, the Alpha conversation. I wanted him to tell me about it. I wanted to know how he felt.

He looked uncomfortable. Okay, so it was fine to jerk off right in front of me, but confessing that he's the Alpha - _that_ makes him blush?

"Does this have anything to do with the way the pack's been treating you?" I asked carefully, keeping my eyes down. I felt like I'd cornered the wolf and I didn't want to spook him.

"Whaddya mean?' he asked, suddenly cagey.

"Like I said last night, they're treating you different. So…what's that all about?"

"Okay," he said, "let's get you rinsed off and we'll talk about it." He took the shower head and rinsed my hair until it was clear of conditioner, then helped me up and gave me a once-over with the warm water. I returned the favor and we finally turned off the water just as the hot was running out.

He wrapped me in a threadbare towel and rubbed me down until I was dry. I put the bathrobe back on, he wrapped the towel around his waist, and we proceeded to the bedroom.

Sitting on the bed, he turned to me. "Okay, Bells, I have something to tell you. It's good news and bad news." His expression was intense and maybe a little scared.

I held my breath. I hoped it was only what I was expecting; his revelation that he was now the Alpha, and not something else entirely – something that would ruin us. Being with Edward had spoiled my idea that happiness could be lasting. "Okay, what is it?" I asked.

"You know that Sam's our Alpha, right?" he asked. I breathed a sigh of relief. If it was only the Alpha thing, everything would be fine. I already knew this; he just didn't know I knew, ya know? I nodded.

"So, it turns out…because my great-grandfather was the last wolf-chief, his direct descendants will inherit the Alpha. And if you look around, I'm the only direct descendant who's phased so far. Collin Littlesea is my cousin; his mom is my dad's sister. But he's just a kid and he hasn't phased yet, and besides, he's only got the gene on one side. I have it on two."

"You have it on two? Your mom was a wolf?" I asked. I thought I remembered something Emily had said about Jacob's mother, but I couldn't quite recall.

He laughed. "No girl wolves before Leah, Bells," he said. Then he seemed to sober. "But Mom was a descendant of the Ateara line. Her mom was Old Quil's sister. That makes Quil my second cousin. He's a direct descendant of Quil II, who was in the last pack with my great-grandfather. But Quil II wasn't Chief. So that means I'm supposed to be the Chief, and the Alpha."

I took a deep breath. "Okay, so what does that _mean_, exactly? You have to take over as Alpha?" I was careful not to let on that I knew he'd already assumed the Alpha title.

"Well, once I imprinted, that meant it was time for me to step up. So, yeah." He looked at me forlornly. "I had to take the Alpha. So now I'm the top dog." He gave a little humorless laugh through his nose.

"Why is that so bad?" I asked cautiously.

He looked at me sardonically. "Really? You can't see why that would be a drawback?" I shook my head, causing him to slump his shoulders while looking at me with an exasperated expression, as if defeated. He sighed loudly, then straightened up and said, "Let me start by telling you what kind of Alpha Sam was. He constantly played power games. He'd argue with everyone, trying to socially dominate us even in human form. And you gotta remember, the wolves all have pretty dominant personalities. He'd put us down, ignore us; basically treat everyone like shit. He was great at that. But while the pack respected him, they didn't actually like him. Behind the scenes, we all talked shit about him." I nodded, encouraging him to keep going.

"Now, _I_ have a different style. And of course I think mine's the best. See, I try to treat everyone equally, because I not only want the pack's respect, I want them to _want_ to respect me. You see the difference?" I nodded again, understanding at last what he meant. "Okay, so I can even get the rebellious wolves, like Paul, to toe the line. The key is to make them _want_ to. But see, that's a bitch. It's hard to do. It requires constant re-thinking, being on the alert all the time. I can't tease anyone too much; I gotta constantly watch my back. It's exhausting."

"It can't be that bad," I offered, though it did sound like it would drain anyone, even a super-strong über-wolf.

"Bells, it's bad, trust me. Because it's really hard to maintain that kind of style when you're disciplining someone. And I have to discipline someone all the time. Not only do I have the responsibility of keeping a clear head when it comes to the pack and the tribe, I have to make sure that everyone else is following the plan. So instead of the stuff Sam used to do, which was mainly physical discipline, like pushing us all around, I try to do it with emotional discipline. I let them see my disappointment. I let them see how I disapprove of their actions, but it's subtle. It would be easy to do what Sam did. But that's not in me. I can't. So it becomes a problem. It takes a long time to establish that kind of style, because they have to trust and respect me first."

"But isn't that automatic, the trust and respect?" I asked. "You're their Alpha, so they have to respect you."

"True, but they don't have to like it. I want them to _want_ to please me, to _want_ to obey me. And they're wolves, so they all have those assertive personalities. They each need a different kind of discipline; one way doesn't work with everyone. Seth and Jared are easy. With Jared, all I have to do with him is threaten, and he's putty in my hands. And Seth wants to please everyone. But with the others…well, it's harder. Seriously, it's a complete pain in the ass."

All his talk of dominating and discipline was fueling my arousal. I could feel myself getting wet all over again, picturing him meting out punishments to his subordinates. _God!_ What did he mean by that?

"Like, what do you actually…_do_ to punish them?" I asked nervously.

His expression went from frustration at his Alpha status to titillation at my question. His eyes snapped with arousal. I watched his Adam's apple bob as his eyes smoldered, a tiny grin pulling at one corner of his mouth.

He licked his lips. "Well," he said softly. "I've got to be subtle. Like I can't do anything that will make them resent me. So I pretty much stick to emotional torture. I make them own up to their insubordination - kind of confess in front of everyone what they did wrong and how it affects the pack. It's a little bit of minimized disgrace. It's a coerced submission. I want to make them humble themselves, but I don't want them to think I'm the one forcing it. It's all psychological – they think they want to get it off their chest. It's embarrassing for them, so they remember it and it teaches them a valuable lesson – not to mess with their Alpha."

My eyes were like saucers and I had to swallow the saliva pooling on my tongue. "You're really interested in this, huh?" he asked.

"It's…intriguing," I admitted, though my thoughts were all over him demanding respect from his pack in his understated way. My heart pounded loud enough for him to hear, and I knew he could smell my excitement. "What else do you do?"

"You probably noticed me staring them down," he said casually. "I want them to show me their obedience whenever we see each other, so I had them devise a way to do that. Of course, I steered them to the whole looking-away thing. I wanted it to be similar to wild wolf packs, and that's what they do. The Alpha stares them down until each one shows his surrender by dropping his gaze. They think they thought it up, so they don't resent me for it. And it's good for the pack. What kind of Alpha would I be if I had someone undermining me behind my back? They have to know I'm their leader. It's for the good of the whole pack, and the whole tribe."

"And that works?" I breathed.

He fixed me with a look, one eyebrow raised. "Damn straight," he answered cockily. "Especially since it's in front of the rest of their pack. They all have to do it, right down to Quil, the last one to phase."

_Oh my God_…I needed a towel to sit on! Why did this turn me on so much? I loved Alpha Jake. He was so self-assured, so confident. It made my mouth water.

I bit a fingernail, staring at him, completely enchanted. His words were making my heart pound and making my underwear _soaked_. I knew I was panting as he spoke. "Wow," was all I could say.

He took a breath and seemed to shake himself out of the trance we were in. "Yeah, so that's what I wanted to tell you. I'm the Alpha now, for good or for bad."

I gulped again. "Okay, so you told me the bad. What's the good?"

"The good news is the same as the bad; I'm Alpha." He shrugged. "I have all the power. I'm technically the Chief of the Quileutes, though we're not governed by chiefs anymore; it's the council now. But I can veto the council. What I say goes. So that's kind of cool."

"And so you want to look majestic because of that?" I asked, smiling.

"Yeah, it would be the shit if I had, like, a mane or something when I was phased. I mean, I'm bigger than all of them, but it'd be pretty fly if I stood apart from them in some obvious way like that."

"So you'll grow your hair back out for me?" I asked with a flirty look.

He grabbed me up in a hug and pulled me down so we were lying face to face on the bed. "Babe, I'll do anything for you," he said.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Sorry! Sorry sorry sorry it took so long! This chapter is a little different from the ones before it and after it - it's a quick little look into Quil and Leah's imprint and it could only be written in third person, so let me know what you think.**

**Thank you to everyone who reviews - I love to hear from you.**

**And a SPECIAL THANK YOU to the exceptionally talented Kissa_621 who has been doing some pre-reading for me. You are amazing – Grazie tantissimo!**

CHAPTER 18

Quil and Leah were competitive. They constantly tried to outdo one another. Leah could always outrun Quil, but Quil was a powerhouse and would never be bested in a wrestling match with the pearl-gray, lean wolf that the pack knew as Leah.

It was the first Saturday they'd been imprints. They were running in the woods, Leah's favorite wolf pastime, when Quil suddenly nipped at her heels and conveyed the idea that they'd gone far enough. Leah skidded to a stop.

"_Where are we going? Canada?"_ Quil asked her laughingly.

"_**I'm**__ sniffing out bloodsuckers. I don't know what you're doing, unless it's eating my dust,_" Leah answered, her demeanor much too sassy for Quil's taste.

"_We're too far away from the rez, babes. Who cares if there's bloodsuckers all the way up here?"_ Quil thought at her.

She turned to him, her deep brown eyes narrowed. "_We don't just protect the rez, wolfman_," she thought, using her term for him that made him feel ten feet tall. "_If we find a leech here, we can kill it ourselves. Think of how much fun that would be._"

"_Think of how pissed off our Alpha would be_," Quil thought morosely. "_I swear, sometimes I think it was easier under Sam. Yeah, it sucked getting pushed around, but at least you didn't have to say anything. With Jake, it's all about the humiliation._"

Leah's shook her head. "_You don't get it, do you? Both ways are about humiliation_."

Quil looked down to the forest floor. "_I guess, but somehow Sam's thing was easier. I don't know why._"

Leah turned away, continuing to walk north along the Olympic National Park border. They _were_ nearly to Canada. She was glad Quil had stopped them. "_It's not like we'd __**have**__ to tell him_," she offered.

Quil let out a barky laugh. "_Yeah, right_!" he thought sarcastically. "_Like he wouldn't smell it on us the minute he saw us, wolf or human! And he'd pull it out of our brains anyway, once we were all phased_."

"_Why does his discipline bother you so much_?" asked Leah. "_It's way better than Sam's way._"

"_I don't know_," Quil answered, genuinely puzzled. "_Maybe 'cause he was one of my best friends before? Maybe 'cause I got used to Sam's way_?"

"_God, I'd never get used to Sam's way if I were a wolf for a hundred years_," Leah told him. Her mind traveled back to the last time she'd been spanked by Sam back before Emily and all the turmoil. The surrender of lying facedown over his knees while he told her that she needed this. The unsettling agitation as he brought his hand down, over and over, on her bare ass. And the utter capitulation, the dampening between her thighs, the feeling of his hardness pressing into her vulnerable belly as the spanking continued.

She forgot for a second that Quil was observing everything she was thinking. But she heard him panting now, and her thoughts stopped abruptly. She looked at Quil wildly. Shit! He'd seen everything!

While Leah would never admit it out loud, she and Sam had dabbled in spanking years ago, back during the happier times, before Emily came and ruined everything. So for Leah, there was always an underlying sexual component to Sam's punishment, even though Sam pushing the pack around was completely different. It was something about his face, his voice, that reminded her of _those_ times. Luckily no one had noticed. Until now.

Quil watched her carefully. "_What was that_?" he asked.

"_That was the last time Sam spanked me,"_ she admitted, knowing there was no use in trying to hide it.

Quil seemed to be a little embarrassed himself, but then she saw that the reason was probably the raging wolf-boner he was currently sporting.

"_Did you…you seemed like maybe...you kind of liked it_," Quil thought with no trace of his joking demeanor.

If a wolf could blush, Leah would have been bright pink from her snout to her tail. Instead she looked down, pawing the earth beneath her and not thinking of anything lest she give something else away. Finally she glanced up at him, and her eyes shifted, taking in his arousal.

"_Looks like you kind of liked it too_," she answered weakly, trying for a joke. Shit. She knew he could taste her excitement, smell it in the air. Quil's eyes sizzled with seduction now.

"_Phase,"_ he ordered roughly, and she immediately shimmered into her human self. Quil focused on her naked body for a second, and then he phased back as well.

He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her toward him, harshly shoving his tongue between her lips. "You like that, baby?" he whispered huskily in her ear. "You been a bad girl? You need to be punished?"

Leah swallowed the lump in her throat. His middle finger slipped between her legs and stroked agonizingly slowly. Unthinkingly, she humped his hand, rubbing herself into him faster.

"Nope," he said quickly, pulling his hand away. "That wouldn't be fair, would it? You need something first, don't you Lee-bee?" It was Quil's nickname for her, given before their wolf days, when she'd been stung by a bee at a picnic once, years ago. It still made her smile. She whined against his mouth.

"Mmmm, you really do need _something_, don't you," he whispered. "Somebody's been bad."

His soft words were causing an ache between her thighs that was nearing a frenzy. She drove her hips into his muscled leg, seeking release. He stopped her. "Plenty of time for that later," he said. Quil's muscled frame flexed as he turned her in his arms so she was across his lap, face down.

"Tell me what a bad girl you've been," he demanded in a growling voice.

"I…I've been real bad," she whispered while biting her lip, her ass on display for him. Though she was completely naked, only her ass felt exposed. The cool breeze of the woods blew over her, accentuating her helpless position.

"You have, haven't you? You need a…" his voice dropped to a husky whisper. "Spanking. Don't you?"

"Yes," she hissed.

"Say it," he demanded.

"I need…I need a spanking," she rasped.

"Count for me," he said. He raised his hand up and brought it down on her rear, the slap echoing through the trees.

"One," she gasped. The blow didn't hurt at all. Quil wouldn't hurt her. But the effect was exactly what she needed - to be humbled.

He slapped down again. "Two," she whispered.

"You won't be bad anymore, will you?" he said, spanking his hand down a third time.

"No…no!" she breathed. "Three."

"Not unless you want a severe punishment," he added, along with another slap.

"Never," she insisted. "Four." Her ass was heating up now, not painfully, but there was a definite sting.

"That's my good girl," he crooned at last, bringing his hand down for the last time.

"Five," she panted. He pulled her off his lap and turned her in his arms so her red backside rested on his naked thighs. She couldn't hold back from completely attacking him, thrusting her tongue into his mouth and sucking greedily. She shifted on his lap until she faced him, putting her legs on either side of his hips. She slid her entrance over his rock-hard pole, and rolling her hips forward, took him into her hot depths.

Quil still wasn't used to the eager, frenetic way Leah made love. He'd been an unhappy virgin before the imprint, and he loved the ardent, greedy way she liked to do it. They'd been intimate since the first day of the imprint, as soon as they'd been alone together after that moment, and they'd happily fornicated every chance they'd gotten since then. But this! This was something new, something Quil had never thought of even in his most depraved fantasies. He loved her more than life itself at this moment. He couldn't believe his luck – the best looking girl on the rez, all his forever. He thrust into her over and over, owning her, making her feel like she was the only woman in the world. To him, in this instant and forevermore, she was.

They reached a tandem climax and she collapsed against his hot, hard body. She loved his muscles, the way they strained under his dark skin. He was easily the most buff of the pack members, second only to their Alpha. As she hung on to his neck, her face buried in his shoulder, their breathing quieted as he stroked her back lovingly.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern dripping from his words.

She nodded into his neck, unable for the moment to speak.

"That was in-fucking-credible, Lee-bee. God, I didn't think I could ever love someone as much as I love you." She kissed his shoulder in response. "You liked that, huh?" he asked, his usual joking tone comforting her. She knew this Quil. She loved his easygoing ways, a far cry from the seriousness of Sam. She nodded shyly into his neck.

"Wanna phase back? Or should we get dressed?" he asked, tucking his chin down so he could look into her face.

"Phase back," she answered. She was still a little embarrassed. Sometimes it was easier to just think things than it was to say them. She could talk to Quil as a wolf without having to articulate sentences, and she knew he felt the same way.

"Okay," he sighed, gently standing her up and hoisting himself off the forest floor. "That's a new one, anyway. We never made love in the woods before." He laughed.

Leah's heart melted as she smiled back at him. Whereas Sam had always referred to their lovemaking as "fucking," Quil never failed to call it "making love." It gave her a warm, happy feeling; a loved feeling. She was more secure in Quil's devotion than anything else in her life. It made everything she'd gone through in the preceding years worthwhile.

They phased back together, shimmering into their wolves and turning back toward La Push. They'd only gone about a mile when Leah smelled it. Quil yelped in surprise.

"_Holy shit, do you smell that_?" he asked.

"_God, yes,_" Leah answered frantically. "_It's not very old, either_."

They both took off in the direction of the vampire, their afternoon completely forgotten.

They followed the scent in. Of course it was going straight for Forks. And of course it was going for the Swan house. Where else?

They stopped in the woods outside Charlie's house, regrouping. "_What should we do_?" Quil asked. "_Do we try to call the rest of the pack_?"

"_I'm afraid it will tip him off_," Leah answered. "_We might have to take him alone_."

"_Is anyone else phased_?" Quil asked. He was still unused to the subtle workings of the pack mind.

"_Not that I can tell_," Leah answered. "_Can you see who it is? It's one of the Cullens, isn't it_?"

"_I can't see_," Quil answered. "_But I think it's a male_."

"_Shit! This means the war is on, doesn't it? We're in it. We eliminated those two parasites and now we have to pay for it_." Leah's tone was frightened and angry.

"_Wait a minute. If we can smell him, he can smell us. Let's just call the pack. He already knows we're here_."

"_No, wait_," Leah answered. "_If it's war, why is he here? Why not La Push_?"

They stared at each other, contemplating. Abruptly, Quil was frustrated. "_This isn't fair_," he thought passionately. "_No one else has to worry about their imprint being involved in this_. _I can't leave you_ _here on your own, baby, but someone has to go back to La Push and get the rest of them. They won't hear us from here._"

"_I'll go_," Leah decided. "_I'm faster than you anyway_."

Quil waited impatiently as the reason for his existence ran toward his native home. He didn't like this one bit. His beautiful Lee-bee, running all alone when there was a vampire on the loose made Quil's chocolate fur stand on end. A low growl began in his throat as he thought about it. It wasn't fair. It really wasn't fair.

He knew when she was coming back, because her scent became stronger on the wind. She had Paul with her. That was good. Paul was the type that would shoot first and ask questions later. Where was everyone else?

He could hear Seth the moment he phased, and Seth being the thoughtful kid he was, immediately set Quil's mind at ease. "_We had to get Jake and Jared away from the girls. They'll be phasing in a sec, soon as they get Kim to Bella at Emily's_."

"_Where's Sam and Embry_?" Quil thought frantically.

"_Sam's in Port Ang with Emily and Embry is asleep since he patrolled last night. I think we can do this without them_," Jake answered. Quil was surprised at how calm he felt now that his Alpha was phased with him.

She was almost here. Quil kept vigil, watching Bella's house like his life depended on it. Where the hell was the bloodsucker hiding?

Jacob's wolf ran as fast as he was able to the border between the reservation and points beyond. They were regrouping there, except Leah, who had gone ahead to make sure Quil was safe. Jake thought it was overkill; couldn't they just reassure each other over their pack telepathy like everyone else? Then he rolled his eyes. It was the imprint. He knew that even if he could hear Bella's thoughts, he'd still want to be right next to her to make sure she was okay. It was why he'd let Leah go and why he'd sent Paul to run with her. He could hear Quil and Leah now, together. Their minds were singly focused on whoever was prowling around Bella's place. Paul was out of his head, bloodthirsty as usual.

Jake surveyed his pack, making sure they were all accounted for and everyone's mind was where it belonged. They were lined up like soldiers, and he nodded at them in approval. Their minds were converged on what was important: the bloodsucker at Charlie's. Good. He led them toward Forks.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews - I hope you guys are enjoying this, 'cause I can't get enough! Sorry it's been so long since I updated, but with the holiday coming (US Thanksgiving) don't expect anything major this week. I have one more chapter ready to go, but I don't know how much time I'll have to write this week. Let me know what you think. And as always, anything you recognize isn't mine.**

**Extra special thanks and warm hugs to the precious and awesome Kissa_621 for pre-reading for me. LOVE YA BABY!**

CHAPTER 19

Kim and I sat nervously watching out Emily's windows, even though we knew it was useless. The fight wouldn't take place here. And there was no way we could be where the fight _was_ taking place.

This was the first time I'd ever met Kim. She was pretty in an obvious way, with full lips and shiny hair and high cheekbones. Her almond shaped eyes slanted upward, giving her an exotic look. The worry in them was nearly tangible.

"How can you stand it?" she asked me, her knee jiggling with agitation.

"I can't," I answered. "I just deal with it differently than you."

"Ugh!" she cried. "I _hate_ this. I'd rather not know! Let him come and tell me when it's over. I don't want to know when it's going on!"

I remembered what Emily had told me about being an imprint. "Kim," I said. "I know exactly how you feel. But we're really so lucky. No one has a love like we have. The imprint is a gift. Just like anything, there's good points and bad points. This is one of the bad points. The worst one, probably."

She sighed, agreeing silently. "I know," she said. "I know. But Jared…he's my _life_. I can't live without him!"

"I know," I said sympathetically. "I feel the same way about Jake."

Kim was silent for a minute. "It's probably worse for you, isn't it?" she finally asked. "I mean, with Jacob being the Alpha now, you probably have to worry more, since he's in charge and everything."

I shrugged. I knew that I worried more than Kim or Emily now, but they loved their wolves just as much as I loved mine. I wouldn't underplay their fears. That wasn't fair. "It's the same for me as for any one of us," I said. "We're all worried when something like this happens."

Just then, Embry burst in to the kitchen. "What's going on?" he asked angrily. "Where is everyone?"

Embry looked like Jacob did when he was about to lose it; pupils dilated, nostrils flared, hands shaking. "They're at my place. Someone smelled a Cullen," I told him.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" he demanded.

"It wasn't up to us, Embry." Kim spoke softly, and I noticed that Embry calmed down visibly at her soothing tone.

"I think Jake thought you'd been out long enough last night. He was letting you sleep," I added.

Embry shook his head, still angry but trying to hold back. He sat down at the table and buried his face in his hands. "I wonder what's going on," he mumbled.

Kim looked at me, raising her eyebrows. An idea had just occurred to her. "Embry," she said excitedly. "Why don't you phase and find out? Then you can phase back and tell us. We're on pins and needles here!"

Embry looked at us levelly, his mouth screwed up in a displeased expression. "Seriously?" he said, his tone disgusted. "You want me to be your cell phone?"

"Please?" I asked appealingly.

He let out a long sigh. "I guess for the Alpha's imprint and the first Alpha's Second's imprint, I could do that," he said.

Kim relaxed with a gusty sigh. "Oh, thank you so much," she gushed.

He rolled his eyes and went out back. He was back within a minute or two, his eyes back to the crazy expression he'd had before when he'd first come in.

"It's a Cullen, alright," he said. "And it's not going well. It's that one who settles everyone down. He's looking for his mate."

Why hadn't I thought of this! Of course Jasper would come looking for Alice. And Alice was gone. He'd go on a rampage! The entire pack would be eliminated! I began to pant anxiously, little cries escaping with every exhalation.

Embry's hot hand grasped mine. He looked into my face and demanded, "What is it? What's got you so upset?"

"It's Jasper," I whispered. "He'll kill them all."

"Why is this one so special?" he asked urgently.

"Because! Alice was his mate! We killed her! He's not the type to forgive! And he's dangerous, Embry. He's the worst one of them all." Tears fell from my eyes and my throat clogged with misery.

"What do you mean by that?" Embry asked. I got the impression he wanted to collect as much information as possible before he joined the pack in Forks. With that in mind, I tried my hardest to pull myself together so I could tell him everything I knew.

"I don't exactly know Jasper's history," I said, attempting to control my emotions. "But I do know he was a major in the Civil War, and that he was turned during that time."

"During the southern vamp wars," Embry breathed.

"What?" Kim demanded, confused. I didn't know what Embry was talking about either.

With lightning speed, Embry was on his feet, his intense posture leaning over us."There's no time. Call Sam." Embry tossed his phone at us. "His number's in there." He was gone in the blink of an eye.

Kim picked up the phone, much more composed than I. She scrolled through his contacts and tapped the screen a few times. Then she was talking, low and urgent, into the phone.

"Sam? It's Kim. Yes, I know. Listen, there's a Cullen at the Swan place, the one that calms everyone down. His mate was the female the pack took out." There was a pause. "They're all there. Embry just went to join them. But Bella says this one is bad. He was turned during the Civil War, so…" She was cut off, and I could hear Sam's exclamation from where I sat. "I know, that's what Embry said. How fast can you…Sam?"

Kim looked at me, scared to death. "What?" I mouthed at her.

Her eyes round, she shook her head. Then her expression changed. "Oh my God, Emily! What happened?" There was a pause. "Oh, that's a relief! But will he…" She shook her head at me again. "Let me put you on speaker," she said.

Emily's voice was suddenly in the room with us. "Okay, Bella? Are you there?"

"I'm here," I answered.

"Oh, Bella, I wish I were there with you two! Sam phased and he's on his way to Forks. Honestly, he can get there faster if he runs than if he drives. Are you two okay? I'm driving over now too."

"We're okay," I answered. "Emily, what's this about the southern vampire wars? Do you know anything about it?"

"It's one of the things that I've been teaching the pack. I think it's really important that they know everything they can about their enemies. The Quileutes, for obvious reasons, have always studied vampire history. During the end of the American Civil War, there was a huge population explosion of new vampires. There were vampires in the southern states that were amassing these huge armies, with the idea that they could have unlimited hunting grounds if they controlled human-overpopulated areas. So they fought each other for control of those areas. If that Cullen was involved in that and he's still _alive_…that means he was probably in charge of one of the armies. Most of the vamps involved were killed off in the fighting. The ones that survived were the smart ones, the scrappers. He's more dangerous than you think, Bella."

"Are you sure about that?" I asked. Then I thought of Jasper, his demeanor, his constant vigilance, the way his eyes shifted whenever anyone made a move. And the way he'd lunged at me on my birthday, my blood too much for him to resist.

"Why? You don't think that's possible?" Emily asked, sounding confused.

"No, I believe it," I said, but my voice was gone. I tried again. "I believe it, Emily. I believe it because I know Jasper. He was always the one the other Cullens said had a hard time adhering to their diet." My voice was choked with fear.

There was a silence. Emily asked, "Bella? Are you okay?"

"Jasper…he went after me. On my eighteenth birthday, he tried…I'd cut myself, a paper cut…and it set off the frenzy. Edward could barely save me. That's why he left - because he was afraid for me to be around his family." I spat the last word out as if it tasted bad.

Emily's tone was soothing. "Bella, if that didn't happen, you'd still be with Edward. It was meant to be."

"I know that, Emily, I know," I said. "And I'm glad. But that doesn't change the fact that Jasper tried to kill me. _Kill_ me. He wasn't trying to change me, he was trying to finish me, to drain me. With no thought for my parents or his brother who was in love with me at the time. With no thought for his lover, who was my best friend back then."

"Are you saying that you want revenge?" Kim asked carefully.

"I don't want revenge. I just want them to leave me alone," I said.

"They're not going to leave you alone, Bella," Emily said. "They're going to start a war. And if they start a war, our wolves are going to suffer. Maybe even die. Vampires don't forgive and they don't forget."

I was frantic. Our wolves – die? Wasn't there another way?

"Maybe not, Emily," I said, my mind burning with the thought. "Jasper was always…fond of the Cullens, but he wasn't really an integral part of the family. If he's the only one here, maybe he's on his own. Maybe he's gone back to his old ways – a true vampire. Maybe that's why he's here alone."

There was silence as Emily and Kim digested this. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Carlisle wouldn't want to have a war. It went against everything in his nature. And Jasper had been a soldier from the beginning; if anyone wanted to fight, it was Jasper. The fact that Carlisle wasn't here with Jasper was a good indication that the rest of the Cullens were staying back. Maybe there was hope after all - unless it was only wishful thinking on my part.

Emily sighed. "I don't know, Bella. I hope you're right, but I'm afraid to trust any bloodsucker. And no matter _what_, we have to remember that those are our men out there. They need our support more than anything." She said this carefully, as if afraid I'd take offense. Why?

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, mystified.

Emily took a deep breath as Kim watched me, tense. "It means that I want to be sure you're on the right side," Emily said. Kim didn't move a muscle. She felt that way too.

I was speechless. How could they think that my loyalty would be with the Cullens? Edward was gone, and he'd tried to _bite_ me before he died. He'd left me devastated and alone for _months_! I'd had no contact with the rest of the Cullens – not a call, a letter, or even an email. And I was Jacob's _imprint_! Of all people, these two should know what being an imprintee meant, how it tied me to Jake, how the link worked. Why would they even entertain the idea that I'd abandon the wolves?

My mouth worked as I tried to speak, but I was dumbfounded and nothing would come out. I stood and turned away, tears filling my eyes. Slowly, I walked out the door. I had to get away. I vaguely heard Kim calling my name, begging me to come back, but I broke into a run and kept on going blindly, my heart breaking.

I ran through the forest until I couldn't run anymore, and then I sat weeping, curled in a ball at the foot of a tree. I was hurt beyond words. Why couldn't they see? What did it take to make them understand that I was no longer on the side of the leeches? I was Jake's in every sense that I could be now; even though they didn't know the depth of it, I was still an imprint. And Embry's words echoed in my head: "the Alpha's imprint." That should count for something, shouldn't it?

Maybe it was the fact that I wasn't Native. Did that make a difference? They'd seemed concerned about it before the council meeting, but no one had mentioned it since. And Jake was chief, for Christ's sake! His word should override anything! My mood was changing from hurt to pissed.

And what about Emily? She'd been an Alpha imprint too. Didn't she realize the depth of feeling I had for Jake now? How worried I was now that he was out there, in charge, ready to give his life for the pack and the tribe? That had been Sam's role before; you'd think she'd have a little compassion for me - even if I was a former vampire girl.

My link to Jacob pulled longingly. I wanted him so bad now; I needed his comfort and his strength and his wisdom. I knew he'd have some quick, plausible explanation for the other imprints' skeptical opinion of me. Or at least he'd comfort me by being on my side.

As I sat crying in the woods, something abruptly occurred to me. I was out alone and there was at least one vampire in the vicinity. I groaned at my own stupidity. Even here on the rez, I still had to be careful. With a sigh at my rash behavior, I started back toward Emily's house, dashing my hand across my eyes to wipe away the tears.

I didn't really want to go back and spend time with Kim and Emily, who I now knew doubted my loyalty to the pack and most of all to Jacob. It felt like a knife to my heart when I thought of their defection. How could I even be civil to them now, knowing what they thought of me? Maybe I'd just go back there and wait on the porch, or in Jacob's car, for the pack's return. There was no sign of my link slackening, so I knew they weren't on their way back yet.

When Emily's house was in sight, I felt a little better. I realized I'd been anxious – in my experience, any vampire in the area was inevitably drawn to me, and ever since I'd become aware of the fact that I was out alone with a leech lurking somewhere nearby, I'd been a little nervous. Seeing Emily's warm little bungalow, its windows a welcoming beacon in the late afternoon twilight, made me feel a little bit more at ease.

I crept around back and sat down on the porch. It was only a little chilly, and the fleece lined sweatshirt I was wearing kept me from shivering. I hugged my jean-clad knees and sat waiting for Jake and the pack to return and give us the good news that Jasper had left the area without further incident.

I was still worried that perhaps there would be a war with the Cullens. I tried hard not to care if all the Cullens were eliminated, but I couldn't shake the bad feeling I experienced when I thought of Carlisle, Esme, and Emmett's demise. Those three had never done anything to harm me. Carlisle, especially, had always been caring and cordial, even during the most trying times of my relationship with Edward. Emmett had been like a big brother to me, and Esme had been a second mom. But I hardened my heart against them. I was Jacob's imprint now, and my loyalty was to Jacob, the pack and the tribe. I hadn't seen any of the Cullens in months, except for Edward and Alice. And when I thought of them, I saw them as the weird transparent creatures they'd been when I'd seen them last.

If I saw the rest of the Cullens as those alien beings, would I care as much about their destruction? I tried to picture Carlisle as the limpid presence that Edward and Alice had been. It made me nauseated, sick to my stomach. I swallowed back the bile. I was glad I'd thought of him that way. It made the decision to turn my heart against them, to view their termination as unemotionally as possible, much easier.

Maybe Emily and Kim had been right about my lingering bond to the parasitic vampires. But thinking of them as they really were, as bloodsucking monsters, strengthened my resolve against them. I was back where I belonged, on the wolf side, and I wasn't leaving. Jacob and I were tied for life, and that was all I wanted to focus on now.

I lifted my head from where it was buried in my knees as I heard a car approach. It was Emily, finally home from Port Angeles, and from where I sat I could see that she was crying.

She threw the car into Park and flung the door open without turning off the ignition. "Bella, I'm so sorry!" she cried, coming across the yard with her arms outstretched. "Please forgive me! I had no right to say anything like that to you!"

I stood and hugged her back, her tear-wet face buried in my shoulder as I stood on her porch. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she chanted brokenly as I intoned reassurance into her ear.

"It's okay, I understand, it's okay, I promise," I murmured. She finally raised her head to look at me, her eyes red and wet.

"You really forgive me?" she hiccuped, tears running down the scars on her face.

"I swear," I said. "Now please go shut off your car and close your door!"

"Okay," she sniffed, shuffling back to the vehicle and doing as I suggested. "Have you or Kim heard anything?"

"I just got back here. I haven't been inside," I told her.

"Let's go," Emily said, twining her arm through mine. She unlocked the door and we found Kim waiting anxiously at the kitchen table.

"Ohmygod, Bella!" Kim cried, standing up and hugging me as well. "I'm so sorry; please forgive me!" It was a veritable imprint love-fest, right there in Emily's kitchen.

"I'm sorry I got so upset," I apologized. "Honestly, I just couldn't believe that either of you would think I'd side with the leeches." I looked from one to the other, my expression hurt.

"I don't know what we were thinking, Bella," Emily said. "We know you're with the wolves now. And you're Jacob's imprint – the Alpha's imprint. The Alpha's imprint has a place of honor in the tribe. Maybe I felt a little envious that I didn't have that place anymore. I'm so sorry."

"Believe me, Emily, I don't want to take anything away from anyone. I'm perfectly happy just being Jake's imprint. I don't care that he's Alpha. In fact, I'd almost rather he wasn't. I don't like that he's the one in charge now, and I realize you know just how I feel. You were the Alpha's imprint for a lot longer than I've been."

"Still, it was out of line, and I apologize. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."

"Emily, you're my big sister," I smiled. "You're forgiven."

"Me too?" Kim asked hopefully.

"You're our sister, too," I said. "Of course you're forgiven."

Emily decided that tea was in order, and she put the kettle on to boil as she got everything else ready. One thing about Emily's house; she always had some kind of treats available. Today there were lemon-poppy seed muffins. She set them on the table and brought the teapot over.

"Really, Bella," Emily said. "I was beside myself thinking of you out in the forest with a leech on the loose. We all know you're a magnet for trouble. The whole way home I was praying that you were safe. What would we have told Jacob if something had happened? It would be just my luck to lose track of the Alpha's imprint while he's off fighting a bloodsucker."

"Oh my God," groaned Kim. "I didn't even think of that. You can never do anything like that again, Bella!" The idea of the two of them scolding me made me laugh.

"Yeah, you better watch out!" I told them. "Jake wouldn't appreciate it if you two let me get eaten by some mythical monster!"

We sat companionably drinking our tea. The muffins were delicious, like everything Emily made. I told her so.

"Thanks," she said modestly. "I have to keep a lot of food on hand for the guys. They eat like horses!"

"It drives my mom crazy how much Jared can eat," Kim added. "She's always saying he'll eat us into the poorhouse."

"How is that going, Kim?" Emily asked earnestly. "Is your mom any friendlier toward Jared?"

Kim shrugged. "She seems to know he's here to stay now," she said. "She's coming around, I think. It helps that Jared is always so respectful and polite. She should thank her lucky stars that Paul didn't imprint on me!"

We all laughed. "Oh, Paul," Emily sighed. "I hope he finds a good woman someday. He needs someone to keep him in line."

"From what Jared says, he's _had_ a lot of good women," Kim said slyly, drawing further laughter.

"Yeah, he's got some reputation on the rez," Emily said. "All the dads hide their daughters around Paul."

"God, I hope they're all okay," Kim said. We knew she meant the wolves, and that silenced all of us as we thought of our men out there, confronting the vamp. "There's nothing more frustrating than not knowing!"

"Bella, do you really think there's a chance that the other Cullens might not back this Jasper up?" asked Emily.

I thought for a moment. "Well, like I said before, Jasper was always an outsider. He only did the vegetarian thing because of Alice. He wanted to be with her so he'd do anything she wanted just to keep her close. I honestly don't know if he'd have kept up the vegetarian lifestyle if Alice hadn't insisted on it. And he didn't have much of a relationship with any of the others. He was always really quiet. He didn't join in conversations, or offer opinions or anything."

"And that leader, what's his name? Carlisle?" Emily said. I nodded. "He seemed to be pretty non-violent, for a bloodsucker."

"As far as I know, Carlisle never killed a human," I said. Even as I said it, though, I thought of the crystalline mass of luminescence that Edward and Alice had been. There was nothing remotely human about any of them. "But that doesn't change the fact that he's still a vampire. And if he comes at the pack, he's our enemy – no question about it." I wanted them to know where my priorities were.

"That must be hard for you, Bella," Kim said.

"It's not, though. It was, before I imprinted, because I saw them so differently then. Before the imprint, I saw them as these beautiful, attractive humans. Now I see them as something so weird, so alien, that I can't even think of them normally anymore."

"They _are_ creepy," Kim agreed. "I've only seen one of them once, and it was after I'd imprinted. But he scared the life out of me."

"Yeah," I agreed. "It's no wonder Jacob hated the idea of me being with Edward."

"Oh, he did, Bella. That's all he talked about for months; how we needed to get you away from them. And this was before he even phased. It truly made his skin crawl to know that you were with a Cullen," Emily said.

There was a noise outside, and all three of us froze. "Is it them?" I whispered. My link felt the same; it hadn't changed so I knew it couldn't be Jacob.

There was a pounding on the door. "Bella!" we heard. It was Seth. Emily jumped up to let him in.

Seth wore black sweat pants and nothing else. They were too short for him and the elastic that was meant to be at his ankles was bunched around his knees. His eyes were wild. "Bella? I need you to come with me," he said, impelling me to stand and put my hand to my throat.

"Is it Jake?" I asked.

"Let's go," he said, completely ignoring my question. He had the keys to Jake's car in his hand and I followed as he ran to the Rabbit.

We rode together in silence, my mind screaming when my mouth couldn't. Why hadn't Seth answered my question? Where were Jake and the rest of the pack? And what in the world did they need me for?

Finally Seth spoke. "I know you could block the mind-reader's ability," he said. "Did that work with this one, too? The one who calms everyone down? Could you block him?"

"No," I whispered. "Why, Seth?"

"No?" He sounded distressed at my answer. "Why not?"

"I don't know!" I exclaimed, frustrated. Why was he ignoring everything I said? "What difference does it make?"

"Because," he said harshly. "We need someone who isn't affected by this leech. The pack needs help."

"Seth, _where is Jake_?"

His eyes shifted; he wouldn't answer. We were almost to my house. I thanked my lucky stars that Charlie's cruiser wasn't there. Seth drove up to the curb and I was out of the car, running for the woods, before it stopped moving.

In the clearing where Edward had left me eight months ago, Jasper stood amid five towering wolves. I recognized them all: Sam, Jared, Paul, Embry, and Quil. I couldn't see Jake or Leah. Where were they?

From the center of the circle of wolves, Jasper turned toward me. His blood-red eyes gave him away before anything else. At his feet lay the russet wolf, Jacob, breathing shallowly, a gaping wound to his neck spilling crimson on the dirt beneath him. I heard a scream and realized just as blackness overtook me that the scream was coming from me.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Thank you for all the amazing reviews! I'm so happy that you're liking my work; seriously, you have no idea how cool it is to realize that you guys like this! Ok, that being said, I have to also acknowledge the ulta-awesome Kissa_621 who has been putting up with my annoying nagging while she pre-reads for me. God bless you, Kissa! **

**Ok, back to business - Jake is still unconscious and the werewolves continue to fight the vampire in Charlie's woods, just to get you up to speed. Nothing you recognize belongs to me.**

CHAPTER 20

Leah's human face swam before me as I blinked back to consciousness. "Bella?" she whispered. "How are you feeling?"

I made feeble motions trying to sit up, but she pushed me back down. "Stay there," she said quietly, looking over her shoulder. "Bella, listen," she whispered frantically. "Do you know of any weaknesses of this vamp? We're in trouble. He's making everyone calm, even Paul. No one can fight him. He's going to take us all out. Jacob is already critically injured and if we don't think of something soon, he's not going to make it. Can you think of anything?"

"C-can you call Carlisle?" I managed, my mind foggy and numb.

"Do you really think it will help?" Leah whispered urgently.

"It's the only hope," I croaked forlornly. Before the sentence was out of my mouth, I forgot why I was saying it.

I realized we were somehow in my bedroom. I didn't remember anything except that I'd been running away from Emily's house. What had happened since then?

"Leah, what happened?" I asked quietly.

"You passed out," she said shortly. She seemed to be searching for something. "Where is your phone?" she asked.

"It's plugged in, back at Emily's," I answered.

"Shit!" Leah spat. "Do you know Carlisle's number?"

"No, but I think I have it somewhere." I tried to get up, but I was too dizzy. Something was clouding my brain, and I couldn't remember anything. Why were we looking for Carlisle's phone number?

"Stay in bed, Bella," Leah snapped. I gratefully lay back down.

"Look in my top drawer. There's a little spiral notebook. Red. It's in there, I think." I waved my hand my hand helplessly toward the dresser.

Leah dug through the drawer frantically. "Here!" she said. She brought the little book to me. I paged through it, my mind still foggy. I blinked furiously, trying to focus on the tiny pages. There it was, Carlisle Cullen. I passed the book to Leah.

"Right here," I said, pointing listlessly at the name. Leah immediately typed the number into her phone. I struggled to remember what was going on. It was something bad, I knew that. Why did we want Carlisle?

"Is Carlisle Cullen available, please?" she said professionally into the phone. "Yes, Dr. Cullen? This is Leah Clearwater from the Quileute Reservation in La Push. We have a problem." There was a pause. "Yes, and we're very sorry about that. We can explain everything but time is of the essence. Jasper is here." She paused again. "Yes, and he's injured one of our wolves pretty badly. Is there anything you can do?" I could hear Carlisle responding, though I couldn't hear what he was saying. "Dr. Cullen, Bella is here with me so I'd rather not elaborate," Leah said.

She looked at me anxiously. The fog was beginning to clear. I'd gone back to Emily's house, hadn't I? I'd had tea and muffins with Emily and Kim. And then…?

Leah turned away from me and began speaking very quietly. I couldn't hear what she was saying, but something was coming back to me. I felt my link pulling. Pulling hard. Where was Jake?

"It's our Alpha," Leah was saying into the phone.

And I remembered everything.

I gasped, sucking in a huge lungful of air with a squeal. Leah turned around at my exclamation and her eyes were huge as they met mine. "Dr. Cullen, we're under the gun here. Is there anything you can do?"

She watched me carefully. I was starting to lose it but I tried to hold it together. It was coming back now. Jake was hurt. Badly. Jasper was here; red-eyed, angry, and vengeful. The pack was in trouble. Passing out again wasn't going to help.

"Thank you," she said in relief. "Yes, we're here at the Swan house."

"Charlie!" I croaked, sitting up.

Leah put her hand toward me, palm out, in an attempt to quiet me. "We'll see you soon," she said into the phone. She put the phone down, and turning to me, she said quietly, "Bella, don't worry about Charlie. It's taken care of. Billy has him at his place, and if we need more time, my mom is prepared to ask him to stay the night."

I collapsed back on the bed in relief, but I still frantically worried about what had happened to Jake. "Leah, tell me what's going on. Is Jake okay?"

"We think he will heal, but we can't be sure, and the bloodsucker won't let us near him. He's losing a lot of blood. The worst thing is that leech venom causes us to heal slower. Jake tried to take him, but the bloodsucker used his mind manipulation to calm him down and it caught him off guard. He was…distracted or something, and that was all it took for the leech to take him down."

I wanted to cry, but I couldn't; not yet. I needed to know what else happened. "What's Jasper's story?" I asked.

Leah spoke unemotionally, as if she were reading a news report. "He's here to avenge his lover's death. Only he's no longer covered by the Treaty, because he's feeding on humans now. Jacob decided right away to just take him out. I already told you how that ended."

"Why the standoff?" I asked.

"He was ready to try to take us all, but then you showed up. He said he'd wait until he could enjoy one last perfect feast. He knows he won't be able to take all of us out. He wants to drain you first, then take his chances. He knows the odds aren't in his favor. He's keeping everyone lethargic until you come to. Then he's going to kill you, Bella, and take out as many of us as he can before we kill him." She talked as if she were…resigned to her fate.

"Leah!" I tried to snap her out of it. "What did Carlisle say?"

"He's coming," she answered. "He'll be here as soon as he can. But he's not close by. It will take him a while. And I don't know if we can hold him off that long."

Shit! Somehow we had to help Jacob and try to talk Jasper out of killing me and taking out the pack until Carlisle got here. I tried to channel the Bella who had devised a plan to kill Victoria – Bella the Vampire Slayer.

"How did you get away to phase back?" I asked her. "For that matter, how was Seth able to phase back and get to me?"

"The blond male doesn't know how many wolves are in the pack. Right away, as soon as the pack arrived and before we confronted the leech, Jacob had Seth and I phase to human. Me, because of Quil." Her voice broke on his name. "He couldn't concentrate with me phased. And Seth…because of Mom."

"So you two phased back to human and then what?"

"Bella, I told you this. Jake attacked. I think the bloodsucker already had our number, though. Jake wasn't fighting like I've seen him fight. I hate to say this about my Alpha, but he seemed…like an amateur. Like he didn't know how dangerous the vamps could be. And I know that's not true, so it had to be that vamp's ability making him…I don't know, listless or something. He didn't attack like Jake usually does. And the whole pack was feeling it. Even Seth and I felt it a little, and we were still way back in the woods."

Listless. I knew how that was. I remembered the feeling in the hotel room in Phoenix, when Jasper had attempted to calm me down because I was worried about Edward back when James was trying to kill me. I remembered how mad it had made me, and how I'd removed myself from his presence to prevent it.

Is that why Leah seemed so ready to relinquish everything she considered important? Was it why it had taken me so long to recover? In my experience, the mood-control thing only affected people in Jasper's immediate presence, but if I was honest, I felt listless and resigned now too. Had his gift gotten stronger?

Wait a second – of _course_ his gift had gotten stronger! He was feeding on human blood now. His red eyes attested to it. If Jasper could control our mood when we were in the house and he was in the yard, there really was no hope. Even getting out of his presence wasn't working to diminish the gift. We were goners.

I sat quietly with Leah on the bed, awaiting our fate. No one could save us now. Soon, Jasper would realize that I'd regained consciousness. He'd suck me dry, then take out as many of the pack as he could – maybe all of them, if they couldn't get away. Sacrificing myself wouldn't even help this time; the forfeit of my life was already a given.

I tried not to think about it. I tried to think of happier times; the days in the shed with Jake, rebuilding the bikes when he was the only sun I could see. When I finally realized I was in love with him and that Edward was only a schoolgirl crush. Jake imprinting on me and the amazing feeling of warmth and belonging it brought. Our first real kiss. Our first time…which, technically was also our last. I don't know how long we sat there, Leah staring at the floor and me looking blankly at the wall.

"I don't want my life to end now," Leah finally whispered, and I could see tears falling into her lap as she wept. "If you would've asked me three weeks ago, I would've said yes in a heartbeat. But not now, Bella. I love Quil so much. Who would've thought, right? Quil and I? I wouldn't have believed it myself in a million years." She grabbed my hand and I was shocked that she was as hot as Jake, as hot as any of them. Her ebony eyes looked into mine and she said so quietly that I almost couldn't hear her, "I'm happy. I'm finally happy."

I reached out and pulled her toward me, hugging her tight. My own tears threatened to spill as her heat warmed me, just like Jake's always did. For the first time, I realized that she was as much a wolf as any of them. But she was an imprint too. It wasn't fair. Nothing about this seemed fair. She cried into my shoulder for a minute, then pulled away, sighing sadly.

A tiny emotion of anger stirred in my chest, but it was feeble and weak. What difference would it make, anyway? We'd never hold Jasper off long enough for Carlisle to arrive. I sneered, thinking of Jasper once telling me, 'You're wrong, you know. I can feel what you're feeling now – and you _are_ worth it.' It was back during that same time, when James was tracking me. After everyone had left to chase or trick James and Victoria, the only ones left were Alice, Jasper and me. He'd told me that because I'd been feeling that I wasn't important enough for all of them to go to the trouble to save me.

'_I can feel what you're feeling.'_ I always forgot that part. He could control moods, but he was affected by them too. I hadn't remembered to tell the pack about that, either. Oh well. It didn't matter. We'd be dead soon anyway.

I wondered idly how far Jasper's powers reached now that he was stronger. We were in my room, basically facing the yard where they were all converged. Maybe if we moved to the other side of the house – would it change anything?

"Leah, can you see out there? Can you tell what's happening?" I asked her. She sniffed loudly, dragging the back of her hand across her face to wipe away the tears, and stood up. She walked stiffly to the window.

"No change," she said dully. "Seth is still in the woods. Jake is alive…he's breathing at least. And everyone looks like…like we feel." She stood moodily staring out the window, her forehead resting on the glass.

The petulant feeling was returning. I tried to fan the fire, to stir myself into a froth of fury, but it was no use. I shook my head apathetically. "Okay," I sighed. "Want to try going down to the kitchen? Maybe if we get a little further from him…" I broke off vacantly.

A small flame appeared in Leah's eyes as she turned to me. "Can that help?" she asked, an ounce of hope in her voice.

I shrugged. "Can't hurt," I said.

We crept quietly down the stairs, trying not to alert Jasper that I was currently conscious. As we put distance between us, I began to feel slightly more energetic. Leah appeared to be more alert as well.

We moved into the furthest corner of the kitchen, as far away from the group in the yard as we could be while still remaining in the house. I talked to Leah as quietly as I could, knowing Jasper's hearing could pick up even the slightest noise.

"There's one thing I forgot about Jasper, Leah," I said. "Our emotions affect him too. He can feel what we feel."

Leah's eyes darted around the kitchen as her mind worked. "Can we _use_ that?" she finally asked.

"I don't know. But if we can somehow piss him off, everyone out there will get pissed off too. And that's what we need, right? We need the wolves to get mad."

"How do we make him mad?" she asked. "If we go out there, we'll be back under his spell."

"_We_ need to get mad," I whispered. "If we get mad, he'll get mad. Then the wolves will get mad."

"And Seth!" Leah's head snapped up. She was suddenly more alert than I'd seen her since I came to. Her eyes met mine. "I'll phase and tell the pack to get the message to Seth. He can get far enough away to phase too, and then I'll tell him to somehow get furious. If all three of us are enraged, that should get the bloodsucker pissed, shouldn't it?"

"You're going to phase? In the house?" I looked around. Would she knock the place to pieces?

"I'm not a pup, Bella. I know how to phase without trashing the joint." To my surprise, she started removing clothes as if it were an everyday occurrence. I guess to her, it was. She was naked before I could react, and her form shimmered as she burst into the lean gray wolf.

I cowered away from her, but remembered to give her room so she could be as far away from Jasper as possible. I hated not being able to communicate with her, but I could almost read her thoughts in her eyes.

She looked away, her eyes focused intently on something in the distance. They narrowed and her breathing increased. She was panting now, her mouth open. Involuntarily, I stepped back. She was so huge, her ears nearly brushed the light fixture.

She shook her head like a dog just coming out of the water. Then her eyes met mine and I could see the grin begin to form. A tiny yip came from her throat and she lifted her head until her nose pointed straight up.

The unearthly howl that filled the kitchen caused me to crouch on the floor, covering my ears. I heard it echoed from outside; Seth was answering her. They continued howling in tandem, taking time out to yelp between breaths. What were they doing? I continued to back away from Leah. She was scaring the shit out of me. Her eyes were ablaze with fury, and as I slowly retreated into the front room, I felt it too.

Ah! This was their plan! They were in the process of antagonizing Jasper, and it was _working_. I could feel the outrage seeping into my consciousness, though I wasn't actively thinking of anything that would make me mad. I knew that feeling – it was Jasper's manipulation. Only this time, _we_ were doing the manipulating.

I could hear the pack coming to life outside. The growls and snarls coming from the yard were proof that the pack was getting agitated. Furious, even. I went to the window. The wolves were circling. No doubt about it, Jasper was incensed at the fact that two wolves had somehow slipped under his radar. It wasn't helping his cause, however. The wolves were restless, and Sam was lunging at him repeatedly as Jasper lowered himself into a fighting crouch, teeth bared for battle.

"Leah, get out there!" I shouted. I opened the door and she shot through it, howling as she ran. She was incredibly fast, and I watched her streak across the yard and spring at Jasper who was momentarily distracted by Sam.

Like lightning, he reached out and swiped her out of the air. She fell to the ground but was back up, limping slightly, in an instant. The giant chocolate wolf was immediately at her side, snarling viciously at the red-eyed leech ducking down before them.

Seth crept around the bundle of wolves, drawing them away from the red wolf that still lay on the ground, bleeding profusely from his neck wound. He seemed to be purposely trying to lure them away so someone could tend to Jake. He was driving them into the woods, further away from my yard, and the only person left to help Jake…was me.

I waited until I was sure they were well away from Jake's inert form. I could still hear them, but darkness had fallen and I couldn't see them in the forest. Taking a pile of clean towels off the dryer, I edged across the yard to him, constantly watching for any movement from the trees.

I fell to my knees next to him and peered at the gash that continued to leak blood into his already matted fur. I pressed a towel to the laceration, and it turned red as if by magic. Basic first aid, Bella. Hold it there and don't move it. If it becomes soaked with blood, put another towel on top of it. Apply direct pressure.

Curiously, the smell and sight of the blood did nothing more than make me angry. I didn't know if it was my anger or Jasper's, but at least I wasn't becoming light-headed like I usually did at the sight of blood. I pressed against the cut, placing another towel over the one that had soaked so quickly. I held it there steadily, the muscles in my arms shaking at the strain.

The oozing seemed to slow somewhat, but his breathing was shallow and fast, his snout dry and cool. I knew these were signs of shock. It was the blood loss. Damn the vampires to hell where they belonged! I couldn't save him. He was going to die, right here in my yard, while I watched.

"You can't leave me," I whispered passionately, my voice breaking. "Please, Jake. Please! Don't leave me, I'm begging you. Oh, baby, please don't go. Hold on, okay? Hold on until we can get you some help. Please, Jake, please." My head was bent down, tears flowing freely into his fur. I pressed harder, willing the blood to stop. I felt if I could only wish hard enough, he'd be okay.

I was momentarily distracted by a rustling in the grass behind me, but I was so focused on Jacob that I couldn't look away.

I could hear labored breathing at my back, but didn't turn to see who approached. I didn't care who it was; I knew it wasn't Carlisle so whoever it was couldn't help. I continued to minister to Jacob, hoping and praying that he'd survive this.

Suddenly she was next to me, kneeling like I was, her withered hands pushing mine away. I looked to my side and saw the wrinkled face of Lee-hana, bent over Jacob and scrutinizing his face. Her hand rested on his forehead and her thumb raised his eyelid so she could see his pupil. She murmured something in her language and looked at my tear-stained, stricken face. She took a moment to pat my cheek reassuringly, then pulled out the bag attached to her belt. She handed me a bundle of what looked like ferns.

"Chew," she said, and she put some in her mouth too. I stuck the bundle of leaves in my mouth and bit down. They had a sweet, earthy flavor. She spit her leaves into her hand, then held her hand out next to my chin. I did as she had, spitting the green mess out into her hand. Gross. It tasted terrible once it was out of my mouth, bitter and harsh. She gave me another bunch and I stuffed it between my lips, chewing it up.

She took the disgusting wad of leaves and packed it into Jacob's neck wound. The blood immediately stopped. My eyes round and wondering, I held my hand out for more leaves. I didn't care if they tasted like manure, I'd chew them if it would help Jacob.

She gave me another handful and together we chewed them and packed them into the gaping hole in his neck. The bleeding had stopped, and I could see the edges of the wound pulling together as the plugs of chewed greenery pulled the venom out of the tissues. Finally the gash was packed full, and Lee-hana went back into her pouch searching for another remedy. She withdrew a small black satin bag, cinched shut with a drawstring. Pulling out sprigs of some dried plant with lavender flowers, she crushed them and sprinkled them liberally over and around the supine wolf. She continued to scatter the powder around the entire area where the wolves had been fighting Jasper.

I didn't take my eyes off Jacob. His breathing was deeper, but still too quick for my comfort. I stroked the big red ears, continuing to whisper the words I wanted him to hear when and if he woke up. Lee-hana had no time for such nonsense. She said something I couldn't understand, and began to pull the chewed leaves out of the damaged flesh. She gestured that I should help her, and biting back the nausea, I assisted in pulling the bloody clumps out and flinging them into the dirt.

The wolves continued their fight with Jasper, howling and snarling ferociously. Selfishly, I gave them no thought. My only concern was Jacob. His respirations finally slowed and he seemed to be breathing much more normally, almost as if he were in a deep sleep. I looked to Lee-hana. She nodded, a small smile of triumph in her eyes. It was then that I saw the black Mercedes pull up and Carlisle emerge, wrapped in a long tan coat.

He ran to us, the eerie angular shine causing a shiver to run down my spine. Even Carlisle looked like this. But I could tell immediately who it was, because while everyone else's eyes had been cold and empty, Carlisle's were warm and golden, the way I'd always remembered them. He still smelled atrocious, but I felt the love he'd always had for me wrap around me as he approached.

"Bella? Is this the injured Alpha?" he asked quickly. Lee-hana did not like this new development. She protested in the liquid language of her people, letting off a long diatribe.

Carlisle quieted her with one word, spoken, I assumed, in Quileute. He knelt on one knee on the other side of Jacob, taking in the scene in one glance. "Yarrow?" he asked, looking up at her. She nodded, then proceeded, I assumed, to explain about the other plant she'd used, gesturing around the area.

Carlisle asked her a question, to which she shook her head in answer. He seemed relieved. "I was asking her if she'd used Juniper. Some believe it to be fatal to my kind." He smiled gently, his eyes filled with concern. "Bella, I'm so sorry this happened."

"It's not your fault, Carlisle." I told him. "Thank you so much for coming. I think Lee-hana here used something to draw the venom out of the wound. He seems to be getting better."

Carlisle examined Jacob carefully. "I'd like to set up an IV infusion," he said after his examination. "He's very dehydrated and he's lost a lot of blood. Can we move him to your house, Bella, or would you prefer we take him back to the reservation?"

I looked up at him trustingly. Despite the fact that he was a vampire, he was still one of the nicest people I knew. "Is he going to be okay?" I asked him.

"Of course he is, Bella," he said kindly. "He'll be walking around in a few hours. Your healer here has done more than I possibly could have."

"He'll be _walking around_ in a couple of hours?" I asked, incredulous.

"Yes. He's much better. He'll be fine."

My body felt boneless with relief. I could feel the tears beginning, but I gulped them down. I couldn't allow the luxury now. Now that I was assured that Jacob would recover, we needed to discuss the vampire situation.

"Carlisle, I want to apologize…" I began.

"Bella, I want to get an IV in him. I really think he needs it and I'd like to get that going if possible. I can carry him into your house if need be. Can we get that done first?"

"Yes, yes, of course, I'm sorry," I prattled inanely. "I'll get the door."

With an ease that looked like sleight of hand, Carlisle shifted the limp, enormous wolf to his shoulders and stood, following me to the house. Lee-hana helped me as I cleared the front room, pushing the furniture against the wall to give Carlisle space to put Jacob down. He eased him to the floor slowly, making sure not to drop him. Carlisle arranged the wolf so he looked comfortable, then extracted an IV bag, tubing and an IV catheter from his large pocket. Lee-hana watched curiously as Carlisle quickly inserted the needle in one of Jacob's forepaws, adjusted the drip, and then looked up at me.

"Now. Where is Jasper, please?" he asked cordially.

I stuttered at this abrupt change of subject. "Uh…he's fighting the wolves. They're in the clearing, I think…but Carlisle?" I stopped him as he turned to go.

"Yes?" he asked, impatient but still polite as he turned back to me.

"I don't know if you've seen Jasper lately…but he's…" I hesitated.

"He's what, Bella? Has he been injured?" asked Carlisle, concerned now. He placed a freezing hand on my shoulder.

"His eyes are red, Carlisle," I said.

In my recollection, I'd never actually surprised a vampire before today. Carlisle stood stock-still, his mouth slightly ajar, his eyes staring vacantly. But it was only momentary. He shook himself out of it. "I'm very sorry to hear that," Carlisle said forlornly. "But I'd like to talk to him and the pack. Perhaps they can see their way clear to allow us to go on our way." Carlisle looked down, his eyes despondent. "I certainly don't want to lose another child." His voice was nearly a whisper.

I could probably bring Carlisle out to the wolves and leave Lee-hana with Jacob. He'd be in excellent hands, and I'd be back in just a short time. Besides, now that Jake was safe, I was dying to know what was going on out there.

Without a second of thought of my own safety, I said, "They're out here, Carlisle." I led the way out the door, and together we walked cautiously across the yard toward the forest.

"Bella, please stay close to me. I can protect you from Jasper if needed," he told me as we neared the trees. Again I thought of what a kind, compassionate individual he was.

"Thank you, Carlisle," I said. "And please let apologize for everything that happened. I'm sure you don't know the details, and I'd like to try to tell you about it."

"I'm sure the Quileutes had their reasons for what they did," Carlisle said, though his voice was strained.

I sighed, and then told Carlisle the story as fast as I could, before he could interrupt. "Edward bit me, Carlisle. He bit me because he wanted to feed. The only reason he didn't kill me or turn me is because one of the wolves attacked before he had the chance to inject the venom. Otherwise, I would be dead or a vampire by now. The Alpha gave Edward the chance to leave the continent and live in Europe, but he was back within days with Alice, and a plan to change me against my will. There was no choice. The pack had to take them out."

It was the second time in minutes that I'd actually surprised a vampire. He stood dumbfounded, staring at me with a stunned look. "I am so sorry for my son's behavior," he finally said. "I completely understand why you had to do what you did. Thank you for telling me." His shiny countenance was difficult to read, but to me he looked brokenhearted. He pulled himself together, though, and took my hand in his icy one. "Let's continue, shall we? Perhaps we can try to contain whatever damage Jasper has done."

I led him to the clearing in the woods where the wolves continued to snarl and whine. Sam, the large black wolf, and Jared, brown and only slightly smaller than Sam, had Jasper treed. The vampire roared and hissed from the treetop, increasingly furious at the giant wolves circling the trunk beneath him. No one seemed to notice Carlisle and me approaching until Carlisle called out in an angry tone, "Jasper! Remember yourself!"

It was as if someone had hit a pause button. Everyone froze and seven pairs of wolf eyes and one chilling red vampire pair were instantly riveted on Carlisle.

"This is not your fight, Carlisle!" Jasper hissed.

"Jasper, allow me to escort you back to our home. I think we can be of assistance. Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett miss you terribly. I know how devastated you have been since the loss of Alice, but being with your family will be helpful, I promise."

"You're not my family, Carlisle! And I don't care anymore! I just want one last drink of blood, one last feast, and these mongrels can end me. I can burn in hell where I belong!"

The dark gray wolf seemed to agree. He threw his head back and howled. But Carlisle was suddenly climbing up the tree, flying up the branches until he was on the same limb as Jasper. The two crystalline figures wrestled, one violent and irrational and one controlled, stoic. Meanwhile, Sam retreated, to phase I assumed.

My mind was consumed with Jacob and how he was doing. I wanted desperately to go back into the house, to let my link relax, but I was somehow compelled to stay. My feet rooted to the forest floor, I watched as Sam reappeared, as he had before when Edward had bitten me, in dingy shorts and nothing else. "Dr. Cullen," he said formally.

Carlisle stopped his struggle with Jasper and held him fast, neither of them moving.

"Because our Alpha is currently incapacitated, as his Second, I will speak for him. Jasper will not be allowed to leave the area. As a true vampire, he must be eliminated by the pack."

"I'm willing to vouch for him," Carlisle said, a note of pleading in his tone. "I will take full responsibility."

"I'm sorry, Dr. Cullen, but there is no way we will allow him to leave. We've learned our lesson with one of your other sons, unfortunately."

"Bella explained how kind you were in that situation, and I want to thank you and apologize to you for his defection. I am truly sorry that you were forced to act out the Treaty. I had hoped we would never come to that eventuality."

"We're prepared to do it again," Sam insisted. "Please allow us to do what we're here to do. Your sons have caused enough turmoil in Forks. We must protect our people and the people of Forks. We cannot allow a true vampire to pass through here unharmed."

I couldn't stay. I had to get back to Jacob, and I just couldn't bear to watch Carlisle try to fight for Jasper's life when Jasper had been hell-bent on sucking me dry. I couldn't listen to him plead as his heart broke for the loss of another of his children. I bore no ill will toward Carlisle, and I couldn't stand to see him hurt so abominably. I slowly backed away from the terrifying scene, stealthily moving toward the house where I could keep a watch over the man who held my heart. I closed my ears to the beseeching entreaties Carlisle was trying to use to change the pack's mind. I knew it wouldn't work. My heart squeezed in pain for the gentle vampire.

When I returned to the house, I heard whines coming from the still unconscious wolf. I rushed to his side. "Is he alright?" I demanded of Lee-hana.

She nodded, and I trusted her. All I wanted now was for Jake to be okay and for everything to go back to normal for once. I could hear the wolves becoming more agitated as they continued their fight with the vampires. While I wondered what was going on, I was pretty sure I knew how it would end. Jasper would die. Carlisle would leave. Hopefully, the wolves would return unscathed and accounted for.

Lee-hana put her soft, wrinkled palm on my cheek as I watched out the window for any sign of the wolves' return. The tenderness with which she touched me brought a sense of calm to my troubled heart. I felt sure everything would be okay.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Ok you guys, next chapter's finally ready for you! I know it's been a while but...ah, I really have no legitimate excuses. Holidays, kids home from college, whatever. Anyway, I really hope you like this one. It was kind of hard to write and that's another excuse as to why it took so long. Thanks for the great reviews - keep em coming, because they make me wanna write, so the more reviews the quicker the next chapter will go up! And shouts out to my loyal Guests, A Rose's Blush, Valentine, and Tickle My Tweet - since I can't PM you I have to thank you here. **

**And of course I want to thank my pre-reader, Kissa_621. If you haven't already met her effing awesome Jake in Bet on Me, I highly recommend you do so IMMEDIATELY. Thanks for putting up with me, my friend.**

**Now, enjoy!**

CHAPTER 21

Jacob didn't stir again for some time. He lay on the floor of Charlie's family room, taking up space, his body heat warming the room to a nearly unbearable temperature. I waited anxiously, watching as the laceration on his neck literally knit itself back together. Before an hour had passed, there was nothing left of the cut, not even a scar. The fur was already growing back.

Lee-hana kept an eye on the IV, adjusting it periodically. It went in slowly, and the constant _drip drip drip_ was reassuring to me. I tried to imagine that each drop brought Jacob closer to consciousness, closer to when he could phase back and be my Jake again.

My mind intermittently strayed to the fight outside. I wondered what could possibly be taking so long. There were no more sounds from the woods; they'd stopped shortly after I'd arrived back at the house. I hoped they wouldn't have to eliminate Carlisle. I wanted passionately to see what was happening, but there was no way I'd leave my post, kneeling beside Jacob's hulking figure. I stroked the soft tan fur of his belly, trying to coax him out of his lifelessness with quiet words and ardent looks of adoration.

My legs were beginning to cramp up by the time I heard anything else from outside. Then it was nothing more than human footsteps, several sets, and subdued voices. The pack was no longer phased, and they were no longer angry. Now they sounded low-spirited and bleak.

Sam was the first one through the door, and he was instantly kneeling beside me, concern etched on his features. "How is he?" he asked quietly as the pack gathered in a semi-circle behind us.

"Better, I think," I answered, my voice hushed as well. "The cut is healed so he's not bleeding anymore. Carlisle started the IV and I think it's helping." I paused. "I wish he'd wake up, though."

Sam put a hand on Jacob's neck, right where the gash had been. "Everything's okay, Jacob," he said. "Bloodsucker's gone. The pack took him out."

Even though I'd known it was happening, the news still twisted in my chest. I closed my eyes in a silent prayer for Edward, Alice and Jasper and the ethereal second lives they'd led.

At Sam's words, Jacob suddenly began to stir. His paws twitched as if he were running, then his legs began to jerk. His ears flattened to his head and he whined anxiously.

It upset me to see that Sam's ten words had affected my wolf more than all my whisperings combined. But Jacob's job was to be the Alpha, and his number one priority was the pack and the tribe. I knew it was petty to be hurt by it, but that didn't make the pain any easier to take. Still, when he showed signs of coming back to life, I didn't hold back from leaning my mouth down to his ear and telling him how much I loved and needed him, and for him to please-please-please wake up.

Groggily, his eyes blinked open. The relief that flooded through me was like a warm tidal wave. It left me shaky and spent. Jacob's eyes, the eyes of the wolf, searched the room, flipping past every member of the pack until they finally rested on me. I saw them close as his giant throat worked in a gulp. He whined restlessly.

"Shhh," I whispered, gently stroking his neck. The pack continued to watch silently behind me, and Sam stayed where he was, kneeling by my side. "Everything is okay. You're fine, the pack is safe, Jasper's gone." He looked up at me, his eyes pleading. I smiled. "I'm fine too, Jacob. You stay down until you're awake," I said.

His eyes closed and he grunted a sigh as he visibly relaxed. The pack watched in surprise as Jake obeyed me without question. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw them looking at each other in disbelief. I sat back, taking his enormous paw in my hands as Sam told him what had transpired.

"Bella and Leah figured it out. Your imprint remembered that this leech was affected by moods the same as he could control them, so she somehow got Seth and Leah to phase and piss each other off." He grinned, looking behind him at Leah and Seth. "Come to think of it, that probably wasn't so hard. Anyway, as soon as they started to get mad, the vamp got mad and that made us get mad. It worked in our favor, because we were finally able to rally and start fighting like we meant it. Paul got in a couple of good swipes before we treed the son of a bitch and then the leader showed up."

The pack glanced around at each other nervously. Something was upsetting them. I hoped it wasn't that they'd had to take out Carlisle. I didn't know if I'd be able to hold it together if I knew the benevolent vampire was no more.

"The doc wanted us to let the blond male go, Jake, but we couldn't." Jacob started whimpering plaintively, distressed. "I know, man, I know. We had to go against him. We took the chance that it might start the war. But, Jake, there's a lot fewer of them now, and a lot more of us. I think if it did come down to war, we'd be able to take them. Anyway, I don't think it'll come to that."

Jacob made an obvious effort to relax. He could probably feel the tension in the room. There seemed to be mixed feelings about the outcome of the evening's activities. Jake opened his eyes and looked worriedly at Sam, seemingly questioning him.

"Carlisle is on his way back to the east coast," Sam told him, as if in answer to his query. I sighed in relief that the patriarch of the Cullen family still existed. Jake, too, seemed to soften. It must have been a load off his mind. He really didn't want to be the Alpha that started the vampire war. Sam continued haltingly. "Jacob, he left something for you. He feels really bad that the bloodsuckers in his coven caused us such trouble. He wants to make it up to the pack, and the tribe."

I wondered what Carlisle could possibly give to Jacob that would mean anything to him or assist the pack in any way. Sam reached into the pocket of his grungy shorts and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He held it up for Jake to see. It was a check.

"He wants you to be the first to use it. He'd like to establish a scholarship fund for the reservation. He said he wants you, as the Alpha, to decide how to distribute it. I told him we'd probably discuss it with the elders and the council, but that we were grateful for the gift."

Jacob's chin lifted and his eyes looked more alert than they had since he'd first opened them. As I watched in wonder, he shimmered back to his human form and reached down for the shorts tied to his ankle. I averted my eyes, suddenly shy, as he quickly pulled them on. He sat up so that his back was leaning against the sofa behind him. A tiny pink line marred his neck where the laceration had been. The IV catheter lay on the floor, drooling onto the rug. I clamped it off before it did any real damage. Jake reached out and took the check, staring at it in disbelief.

"This can't be real," he said quietly. "It's got to be fake." Jacob's eyebrows met as he shook his head.

"I don't think so, Jake," Sam said. "After all that, you think the vamp would give us a fake check?"

"But…" He looked up at Sam, his eyes narrowing in confusion. "This is impossible. A half-million dollars?"

I gasped aloud, making half the pack jump. "Sorry," I squeaked.

"Who has that much money in a checking account?" Jake asked, looking up at the pack.

They laughed, the tension suddenly evaporating. "Who has that much money anywhere?" asked Seth with a grin.

"Right!" Jake agreed, still confused and becoming angry. "And seriously? Do we want to take this from him? Does this mean we owe him something?"

I felt a surge of pride for Jacob. Even though there was probably no money in the Black household to send him to college, he didn't want to take money from a sworn enemy with some sort of unknown commitment attached to it. But Sam shook his head.

"It's because _he_ owes _us_ something," Sam said. "I felt the same way you did at first. I wanted to take it and shove it right up his lily-white, bloodsucking… " Sam glanced at me, then continued. "But he literally begged us to take it. He really feels bad about what those fuckers did to Bella and how they caused us all to phase and basically give our entire lives over to protecting the tribe. He figures if the vamps are gone, we won't need to be nearby and some of us can get off the rez and get an education, then come back and help the tribe. I think he wants to call it even. The endowment makes up for the…disturbance his coven caused. I don't think we should make this decision, Jacob. I think this is something that needs to go before the council."

Paul had been shifting from foot to foot the entire time Sam was talking. Now he couldn't hold it in any longer. "You gotta be _fucking_ kidding me!" he exploded. Leah rolled her eyes.

"Paul!" Sam said darkly.

"No, Sam! Shit, take money from those cocksucking leeches? Typical rich guy, thinks that he can hand us a couple of bucks and everything will be okay. I say we follow him and rip his motherfucking head off. Then we find the rest of his perfect little family and off them too!"

"It's not a 'couple of bucks' Paul," Leah said. "It's enough that all of us could probably go to school. And if we can go, then we can help the tribe, and maybe our kids can go and we can turn the rez into a really awesome place instead of the crap heap it is now."

The pack began to argue. Most of them seemed to be on the same side as Leah and Sam, but Paul and Embry were loudly disagreeing. I didn't know which side to take. On one hand it seemed to be nothing but a very generous gift. On the other, it was almost ominous in its feeling of obligation.

Finally, Paul seemed to capitulate. He sighed heavily. "Still don't like it," he mumbled. "But if it has to come from anyone, I guess I'm glad it's that one."

Jake seemed exhausted. "I don't have the energy to argue with you guys. We'll take it up with the council. Call a meeting for tomorrow." He scrubbed his hand over his face with a deep sigh. "What time is it?"

"Just after eleven," Sam answered.

Jacob looked at me. "What about Charlie?" he asked.

"With Sue," I told him.

"Okay." He looked to Sam again. "And you say the doctor is on his way back to the east coast?" he asked.

"That's right," Sam answered.

"Then we're good for now. We can bust up this little party. I'll stay here with Bella since you're back in town, Sam. And just in case any more Cullens show up." He looked around at his pack members. "Keep your phones on," he said shortly, dismissing them.

The pack trooped out the door, their mood a far cry from the celebratory one the night they'd killed Victoria. This time they were much more subdued. I think it was because of the fact that even though Carlisle was definitely a vampire, his humanity was still very obvious. To most of them, he was still a person, and hurting him by eliminating Jasper in light of Carlisle's blatant fondness for the violent leech was difficult for all of them to take. The graciousness with which Carlisle had accepted their verdict didn't make it any easier. I got the impression they would have preferred it if Carlisle had become angry and brutal himself. His quiet acceptance of the decision followed by the overly-generous gift made them all feel worse. Lee-hana, who had been silent throughout the exchange, gave Jake a few words of advice about his recovery, and then she left as well.

When everyone was gone, Jake slowly got to his feet. "I don't like the bloodsucker money, Bells," he said, as if we were continuing a conversation. "I don't want to owe them."

"Jake, you don't know Carlisle. You saw the pack just now. Even Paul was swayed. They should be hooting and hollering like they did after Victoria, but they feel terrible for killing Jasper, only because it hurt Carlisle. Believe me, Carlisle is different."

"_All _of those fuckin' parasites are unnatural, inhuman creatures," Jake argued.

I set my lips in a hard line. "Not Carlisle," I said, shaking my head. "You don't know him like I do, Jake."

"No. I don't want to, either," he said, as if that ended the conversation. But I wasn't finished.

I told him about Carlisle's youth in London, his distress at finding out what he was after he was turned. I explained that he had never killed a human and had only bitten Edward, Esme, Rosalie and Emmett in order to rescue them from human death. "Have you ever heard of the _stregoni benefici_?" I asked him, referring to the so-called beneficent wizard, or the vampire Carlisle had been when he was with the Volturi, whom he'd left simply because of their thirst for human blood. "That's Carlisle."

"If I know anything, Bells, I know vampires. Yeah, I've heard of the _stregoni benefici_. It's a myth."

I laughed out loud, slightly hysterical. "A _myth,_ Jacob? They're _all _myths! _You're_ a myth!"

This seemed to make him think, and he was quiet for a minute. "I guess I never really had any contact with this Carlisle leech. You really believe he's, like, _good_?"

"To the bone, Jake. He's one of the kindest people I've ever come across, human, vampire, or werewolf."

Jake nodded, then shrugged. "I guess I'll take your word for it, but I still want to talk about this money with the council before I set up any scholarship fund. Though I have to say, it would be incredible to be able to go to college." A small smile touched his lips at the very idea.

"You're too smart not to go," I told him, wrapping my arms around his waist and resting my head on his chest. "I want that for you so much."

"It would mean that we'd be apart, Bells," he said, stroking my hair.

"No, I'd go to Peninsula in Port Angeles for junior college until you graduate, and then we can go away together," I told him, proud that I'd figured it all out so neatly.

"You'd do that for me?" he asked. "I thought you wanted to go away to school right away."

"I'd be doing it for me, Jake. I can't move away from you now. The link…it'd kill me to be away."

He leaned back, causing me to take my head off his chest and look up at him. Staring directly into my eyes, he smiled and said, "Wow. You really do love me, don't you?"

The corners of my mouth lifted involuntarily as I shook my head, never breaking my gaze. "You don't get it, do you? You're my everything. I imprinted on you the same as you did on me. I love you more than my own life."

He bent down, his lips starting at my cheek and traveling over my face to my mouth. I closed my eyes, smiling, and returned the caress with leisurely passion. "God, baby, I love you so much," he breathed.

"Love you too," I said, my arms winding around his neck and pulling him close. "You're so amazing." I put my mouth to his ear. "I have to tell you, seeing you phase like that is one of the most beautiful, magical…"

"Bella, stop." He shook his head, pulling away. "You know how much I hate the whole wolf thing."

Oh, _God_! Was he still on _that_? I sighed theatrically. "Leave it alone, Jacob." I told him in exasperation. "I love the wolf! I love the imprint! If it wasn't for the wolf, we wouldn't be together, don't you see? We wouldn't have this awesome attachment…this freaky bond that won't let us separate. Isn't that unbelievable?" I was wearing a smile that would split my face in two.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked, smiling back.

"How _cool_ this is!" I said.

He chuckled. "I always knew you were insane," he said, bending to kiss me again. I nibbled a line up to his ear again.

"And you interrupted me. I was telling you how incredible it is to see you phase. It's the most magical, phenomenal…_sexy_ thing I've ever seen. Besides that time in the shower, I mean."

He turned a little pink at the mention of the shower, but he pulled back and the look on his face was so seductive, so alluring, I caught my breath and held it. "You think it's sexy?" he asked, his eyes hooded and his voice deep.

"_So_ sexy," I said, drawing his face in so I could kiss him.

One hand left my waist to fist into my hair at the nape of my neck. He pulled my head back roughly, and aggressively covered my lips with his, his tongue insistently delving into my mouth. Suddenly everything was Jacob, everything I heard or felt or breathed or tasted. I sighed softly through my nose as I surrendered completely.

The hand on my hair tugged at it, an exquisite sensation that left me gasping with desire. Wait, we couldn't do this now! Jake had almost _died_ tonight. Lee-hana had said he needed rest.

"Jake," I said against his lips.

He pulled away for one second, long enough to whisper, "Hush," and then went right back to doing what he was doing.

Who was I to complain?

He swept me up, fireman style, and carried me up the stairs as if I weighed no more than a feather. When we got to my room, he deposited me on the bed and lay down on top of me, his weight supported on one arm as his other hand remained fisted in my hair. I remembered when I used to be a kid and boys would pull my hair in school. This felt _nothing_ like that. It was animalistic, rough, and sexy as anything.

I lay beneath him, gasping with pleasure, my heart hammering so hard I knew he could feel it. Slowly, his hand reached down to the hem of my shirt and began to raise it, inch by inch. I sucked my stomach in, hesitant and wary of what he had in mind. But he persisted, his hand reaching further up to my breast, under the elastic of my bra.

I squeezed my eyes shut tight as he touched my nipple, drawing a gasp from between my parted lips. He rolled it softly, slowly, between his fingers. Then he grasped it between thumb and forefinger and pinched…_oh_…hard and forceful. I felt a rush of wetness saturate my panties and I couldn't contain the moan that escaped from my throat.

"You'll do what I say, won't you?" he said, and it wasn't a question. I nodded, completely overcome. "Damn right you will," he growled, as if it were a given.

I raised my arms over my head as he removed my sweater. His slid it off slowly, savoring the moment. He reached behind me and with one quick movement of his fingers, expertly undid my bra, slipping it off as well. From the waist up, I was naked to his gaze.

He looked at me like he'd never seen me before, pleased and superior as he looked down at me. My nipples stood at attention, waiting patiently for the inspection to be over.

But it wasn't over. He continued to survey my breasts, appraising them arrogantly. "Mmmm," he murmured as he began to unbutton my jeans. His eyes flicked to mine, and he held my stare as he drew the zipper down.

"Slide these off," he said, not looking away. It was an order, and I obeyed without question. I hooked my thumbs into the waistband and pushed them off my hips, revealing my little white cotton panties with the pink bow. I licked my lips, a little apprehensive even though he'd seen me like this before.

"Jake," I began, wanting to tell him that we shouldn't do this when he was still recovering.

"I_ think_ I told you to hush," he said shortly. With a deep breath, I did.

I was now under him in only my panties, and he was completely clothed. He slid down and his lips closed over one nipple as his hand went to the other breast. His teeth gripped the small nub, and the exquisite sensation caused me to squeal softly. As his teeth held my nipple captive, his tongue swept over the tip. _Holy shit._ If he kept this up, there was no way I'd be able to follow his order to hush.

His hot mouth moved away from my breast with a flick of his tongue, leaving the tip wet and erect. He slid a little further down so his chin was directly above my navel. What was he thinking? I looked down at him, my head on the pillow. He grinned. "I'm going down here now," he said, not a question in his tone. He was simply informing me, as the Alpha would do, of his intentions.

His face got closer to my core, but I was completely terrified that he'd put his mouth there. Everything went through my mind: the smell, the taste – everything. I was petrified. My hands covered myself, my thighs pressing together like steel.

"No," he said mildly. He looked into my eyes again, and his gaze held mine as he pried my thighs apart. "Put your hands to your sides."

As if they had a mind of their own, my hands moved away, my fists clenching next to my upper legs. It was an Alpha order, and I was compelled to obey. "Open your thighs, baby," he said. The double timbre coerced my acquiescence. I did exactly as I was told. My legs spread apart, his palms on my inner thighs blazing as he urged me to open them wider.

Tiny puffs of air escaped my lips as I panted in anxiety and submission. I was nervous and flustered as his mouth descended onto my center.

His lips pressed to my most sensitive point, which was still covered by my thin panties. _Ohhh. My. God_. I'd never felt anything so delicious as this feeling - this feeling of total surrender, this feeling of incomparable pleasure. His lips kissed over my center, the feeling so unbelievably divine that my hips thrust forward involuntarily. But I was still so apprehensive! Almost on their own volition, my hands suddenly flew to my mound, effectively blocking him out.

"No way," he breathed. His hands reached for mine, his fists encircling my wrists and pulling them down to my sides. "'Member? You'll do what I say."

It was not a question, it was a statement. I'd do what he said, no matter what. I nodded.

"I'm taking these off," he said, his fingers whispering under the elastic of my panties. He slid them off quickly, not giving me a moment to think. I was now bare beneath him, while he remained fully clothed.

"And now I'm going to go down there and make you feel better than you've ever felt," he said, his eyes smoldering.

His face dipped lower, and I knew it was pointless to try and stop him – he was the Alpha, and he was going to take what he wanted. My hands remained clutched at my sides and my thighs stayed spread, right where he'd left them. Without panties on, it felt almost swoon-worthy. I could feel his hot breath on my skin, searing heat that did nothing but remind me of my vulnerable position beneath him. His tongue went right to my nerve center and stroked maddeningly slowly, up and down its length. Then it went lower, exploring my depths, until his fingers took over.

His burning hot hand reached for my labia, stroking the swollen lips. Then two fingers slid in easily, the traitorous wetness encouraging him. His fingers worked in and out while his tongue swirled around the edges of the absolute center of my being, studiously avoiding it. I bucked my hips into his mouth, dying for contact.

"Ah ah ah," he said, as if scolding a naughty child. I wanted to scream - his mouth was no longer on me, and now I _craved_ it. But he just continued his gentle reprimand. "Don't move, honey. You just stay still, okay? You got that?" He moved his face up, then delicately rubbed his chin over the place I'd wanted him to touch with his tongue, scraping his whiskers softly over the bundle of nerves. It was all I could do not to gasp in surprise. The feeling was so incredible – it wasn't painful exactly - it felt rough, almost like a punishment...only it felt_ too good_ to be that. I knew I wouldn't be able to take it for very long…but I didn't have to, because he lowered his mouth to my folds and licked the delectable agony away.

I moaned in frustration. My face clenched in pleasure, overcome with the forcefulness of his commands and his superior direction of my enjoyment. _God!_ Was it even possible to feel this good? It seemed almost criminal, how amazing it felt. My mind was everywhere at once, from his fingers squeezing my nipples and massaging inside me to his tongue bringing me to heights heretofore unknown.

He moved his mouth away for just a second, whispering, "You ready, baby?" and then dove back in, his teeth catching my clit for only a moment, and then the hot tip of his tongue smoothed over it, and I was done. I was suddenly covered in chills, and I felt like I was falling, my body convulsing in abject bliss, pleasure beyond anything I could ever envision. The warmth and wetness of his mouth had just coaxed the most incredible orgasm of my existence out of me. Okay, maybe I didn't have much to compare it to, but still.

He kept his mouth right _there_, waiting patiently until I stopped quivering. I lay there, spent – but he wasn't finished. He stood up, licked his lips, and quickly pulled his shirt over his head. I took a moment in my post-orgasmic bliss to enjoy his amazing torso – like something out of _Men's Health Magazine_. Damn, he looked good.

But my thoughts were stolen a second later when his hands went to the buttons of his fly. He unbuttoned them swiftly, dropping his jeans to the floor without ceremony, watching me the whole time. A rakish grin split his face and he moved sinuously back to the bed, stalking me like I was his prey. I guess in a way, I was.

"You loved it, didn't you?" he asked. I wasn't sure if his edict still applied, so I just nodded dumbly, gulping the saliva that was suddenly pooled in my mouth. "I knew you would. Aren't you glad I made you…" He crawled up the bed until he was next to me, his lips at my ear. "Hush…and hold still?"

His voice was raspy, almost unbearably sexy, and I turned my head so we were facing each other, our mouths nearly touching. I could feel his breath on my lips, and I could smell myself on his breath. It wasn't disgusting, like I expected it to be. It was sensual and alluring. I pressed my lips to his and pushed my tongue into his mouth, tasting myself. It only spurred me on further. "Yes," I gasped around the kiss.

"Fuck, Bells. I love you so much," he breathed into my mouth.

As I continued kissing him, my hand drifting down to his erection which was now pulsing against my thigh. I wanted to make him feel as good as he'd made me feel. He moaned as I grasped the rock hard tool, thrusting into my grip.

I stroked him like I'd seen him stroke himself, thinking as I did of the seductive way he'd worked his hard-on when we were in the shower. I was so wet already that it wouldn't be noticeable, but I felt myself get wetter as I thought about it. I remembered being surprised at how rough he was with himself, so I was a little less gentle than I could have been. He didn't seem to mind, his hips ramming his member into my clenched hand faster and faster.

"Little tighter, honey," he panted. "Hold it a little tighter." Eager to please him, I squeezed him securely, adding my other hand for more force. "Thaaat's it," he sighed.

I continued kissing him and rubbing him, anxious to make him feel good. "Like this?" I asked.

"Fuck yeah," he exhaled. His eyes were closed, his teeth clenched, his brows drawn together tightly. He continued to buck his pelvis into my hands, the speed quickening and his breath catching in his throat.

I couldn't help myself; the words just came out. I whispered, "My God, Jake, you're so fucking _hot_!" and that was all it took. Suddenly the rod in my hand spat a stream of hot, white liquid across my naked thighs. Holy shit, it was so sexy! I'd been sure that the first time this happened, I'd be completely grossed out. And, okay, it had happened in the shower, but that time it all went right down the drain. Now it was right there, in my bed, cooling on my thighs, dripping onto my sheets. And I thought it was sensual, erotic. I loved it. I smeared it into my skin. It was part of him.

He watched me, fascinated that I wasn't repulsed or offended by it. I shot him a naughty smile as I brought my hand up to my mouth and licked, just once, the finger I'd used to touch his cum. He hadn't been grossed out by me, so why should I be grossed out by him? I wasn't. It came from him, so I wanted to taste it. And I was a little surprised to see that it didn't bother me at all.

"Damn, you're fucking gorgeous, Bells," he said huskily.

I smiled at him. "I love you, Jacob Black," I said.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Sorry again for taking so long to update. But here it is finally. Okay, this is more of a filler chapter, with some info we'll need later. No real lemons here. Thank yous to everyone who is reviewing (I'****m looking at you, MusicTwilightLove), favoriting, and following me and my story. Love you all! And a special thanks to Kissa_621, my amazing pre-reader who keeps me on the right track. **

**Enjoy everyone!**

CHAPTER 22

The next day was Sunday, and Jacob had asked Sam to call a council meeting. After Jake and I had showered and eaten breakfast, we rode together in his Rabbit back to La Push. I was amazed at his ability to heal. He showed absolutely no signs of the ordeal he'd endured the previous evening at the hands of Jasper.

"Bells, you _need_ to go," Jake told me, referring to the council meeting that I'd told him I felt too intimidated to attend. "You're the Alpha's imprint. It's a big deal."

I crossed my arms over my chest like a five year old, my lower lip pouting. "I'm not ready for that yet," I said.

"I understand that you're a little freaked out," he said. "But this isn't a choice, baby."

I sat there moping for a second, then I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. "So I guess this is another _Alpha order_, huh?" I asked slyly, one side of my mouth lifting in a snarky grin.

One eyebrow cocked up and he turned his head slightly to look at me, a tiny grin etching the side of his mouth. "They're _all_ Alpha orders, honey," he said, his voice deep.

_Fuck!_ How did he do that? I was ready to slide between the sheets with him again, less than twelve hours after the last time we'd fooled around. I was going to have to start wearing a panty liner whenever I was with him! I sighed in exasperation. "Whatever," I said, rolling my eyes to hide my arousal. "I'll go if you feel that strongly about it." Little did he know, I was somehow obligated to obey him. Something in the link literally drove me to do exactly what he said. If he knew that, he'd have a field day.

Just because I was compelled to agree with his suggestions didn't mean I wasn't still incredibly intimidated by the council meeting. We parked at a municipal building, long and low with dark brown aluminum walls. It was a lot bigger than I'd expected. On it was a sign that stated **THE QUILEUTE NATION** in bold black letters. Beneath this, in smaller letters, it said COMMUNITY CENTER. There were a few steps leading up to the glass door. The gravel lot was filled with cars, and Jake parked at the back of the parking area. He took my hand as we crunched across the gravel, butterflies banging away at the walls of my stomach.

We walked in. Directly to my right was a small gym where several middle-school aged children, both boys and girls, had a rousing game of basketball going. One young boy saw Jake and shouted, "Jacob!" Immediately, Jake was surrounded by shiny black heads, each one vying for his attention.

He greeted each and every one, his genuine smile and twinkling onyx eyes drawing them in. High fives abounded. The girls rushed to hug him around his waist. After a long five minutes, Jake disentangled himself from the throng.

"Hey, I gotta go, guys," he told them. "I can't be late for Council!"

The kids laughed. One boy commented, "Isn't your dad like, the chief? They have to wait for you!"

Jake grinned at him, but told him seriously, "You know we don't have a chief any more, Tony. And even if it were true, it would still be rude to keep them waiting, don't you think?"

The boy nodded back, beaming with excitement that the "chief's" son knew him by name. I was glad Jake had given them a little lesson in manners: Just because you_ can_ make someone wait doesn't mean you _should_. "Okay, then. See you guys after the meeting. Maybe I'll shoot a few with you! Think you can beat me?" A chorus of, "Yeah!", "Anytime, Jake!" went up from the crowd. One little girl stared up at him adoringly, and said, "No way." Jacob patted her shoulder, and waving to the rest of them as we continued down the hall.

"You've got a little admirer there," I said, slipping my hand back into his.

He smiled down at me. "I know," he said. "She's adorable, isn't she? That's Wendy. She's in like, third grade. Every time she sees me she has to give me a hug."

"Who can blame her?" I asked rhetorically, leaning my head into his broad bicep. He chuckled.

The last door on the hall had one of those plastic imitation woodgrain signs. In white letters it read, "COUNCIL ROOM." Under that hung a sign that said, "Private Meeting In Session."Just the words made me squinch my eyes shut and gulp. Here goes.

Jake strode in like he owned the place. He indicated where I should sit, in the spectator area where I saw Kim, Emily, most of the pack, and several others seated. Everyone present was either a pack member, family of a pack member, or an imprint. I sat next to Emily, and Jake continued up to the dais where a long folding table was situated, along with several folding chairs. The center one was empty as were a few others. I recognized Quil's grandfather, Sue Clearwater, and Billy sitting at the table. Sam wasn't here yet, and I didn't see Paul either.

Jake sat in the chair at the center of the table. He leaned over to old Quil and began talking to him in low tones. From his pocket he took his wallet, then extracted the check. He passed it to old Quil, who scrutinized it and handed it on to Sue, who was sitting next to him. Sam and Paul entered at that moment, and once all the chairs were filled on the stage, Jake called the meeting to order.

After the preliminaries were finished, he explained the situation with the check. Sue spoke first.

"As the treasurer, I think we should invest this money after distributing some of it to the current pack members who wish to attend college. Putting it in a mutual fund would ensure that there would be funds for other Quileutes who want higher education."

"Seconded," Billy stated shortly.

"If we decide to keep it, Sue, that's what we'll do," Old Quil said. "But I'm not sure it's wise. I almost wish Dr. Cullen were here to speak on his own behalf. Why is he giving the tribe the money in the first place?"

"Sam?" Jacob said, calling on him to speak.

Sam explained the situation as he knew it, very similar to what he'd told Jacob the night before. When Sam finished, Jake called on Paul to present his misgivings about the money. Paul's expletive-filled tirade was a far cry from the quiet dignity of the rest of the council. Jacob frowned at him, and he stopped for a moment.

"Sorry about that," he said contritely. "I mean no disrespect. It's just that the whole deal pis - uh…makes me mad." I hid a smile. Paul would never change.

Jake shook his head with a discreet eye-roll. "Okay, we've heard both sides. Any questions?" He looked around, and no one indicated that they had anything more to say. "Okay, then. All in favor of taking the money?"

There were three "Aye" s. "All opposed?" said Jake. Paul glumly raised his hand and old Quil said, "Nay." Jake didn't vote.

"The ayes have it," said Jake. I felt like someone should bang a gavel. Sue wrote everything down in a ledger.

"What's the next order of business?" Jake asked, leaning back in his chair. I realized that I loved watching this. He was in charge here, and I relished any opportunity to see him in such a commanding role. God, I was hopeless! Everything he did turned me on!

"How will the scholarships be determined?" asked Old Quil.

"Good question," Jake commented. "Let's leave that open for discussion. Sue, can you chair the scholarship committee? Get some teachers on it and keep the details of where the money came from under wraps, okay?" Sue nodded. Jake continued, "Next order of business is the introduction of the imprint." He looked at me.

_What?_ Why was this an "order of business" at the council meeting? What did they have to decide about me?

"Stand up, Bella," Jake urged. Emily patted my knee. I stood nervously.

"As the Alpha, I want to introduce the council to my imprint, Isabella Swan. Everyone knows Charlie; this is his daughter. Bella, you know most of these people. Everyone, this is my Bella."

My heart grew warm when he said "my Bella." It was true, I was his – heart, mind and soul. I smiled, nodding around the room and saying, "Nice to meet you." My voice came out soft and hesitant, but their warm smiles welcomed me.

A chorus of soft murmured "Hellos" went around the room. I didn't know everyone, but I figured they were the pack's families, so I knew I was accepted here.

"See that she feels welcomed," Jake said solemnly.

Everyone in the council and all the spectators began to clap. I was completely mortified, and though I could feel my face turning tomato red, I smiled at them all and said quietly, "Thank you, it's my honor." Finally I sat down, nearly overcome with emotion. It felt nice to be welcomed so warmly. Emily reached over and hugged me with one arm.

"Is that everything?" asked Jake, looking from side to side at the other members.

"That's everything," Old Quil confirmed.

"I move that this special council meeting be dismissed," Jake said in a bored tone.

"Second," Old Quil said, and they all stood up. The meeting was over, and my part hadn't even been that bad. What had I been worried about?

But I didn't know what was going to follow.

As soon as the meeting was over, they all converged. Everyone gathered around me. Everyone seemed to want to hug me, to talk to me, to touch me. I wasn't sure what they wanted, but I knew I wasn't prepared for this. I flashed a panicked look at Jacob, silently asking him to rescue me, but he stood to the side, his arms folded over his burly chest, watching me with a bemused grin.

Paul pulled me aside first. "C'mere sweetheart, I want you to meet someone," he said, his hand on my elbow. Emily patted me on the back as I was drawn away from the crowd.

He took me to the back of the room where a dark, middle aged man stood, separate from anyone else. I'd never seen him before, but I knew that he had to be Paul's father. The resemblance was uncanny. Paul's arm was across my shoulders as he stopped in front of the man, and he said, "Bella, this is my dad. Dad, this is Bella,"

I shook his hand. "Hello, Mr. Lahote," I said. He smiled. It was a kind smile, the type I'd never expect to see on anyone related to Paul's face.

"You can call me Tom," he said.

I didn't know what to say. Everyone else in the pack talked freely about their parents, except I knew nothing about Paul's family. What was their relation to the pack of giant wolves? I knew only the direct descendants of the first Wolf Chief had the ability to phase. So where did Paul fit in? Paul noticed my discomfort and laughed.

"Yeah, Bella, I don't usually go around pushing my family in everyone's face like all the rest around here. But my dad wanted to meet you. He knew some of your relatives. He used to hang out with Charlie in high school."

"Really, you knew my dad in high school?" I asked, a smile breaking over my face. "What was he like?" None of the guys who knew Charlie in high school had ever mentioned anything about my dad. I knew next-to-nothing about his teenage antics.

"I'll need a lot longer than we have now to tell you that," Tom laughed. "Besides, I don't want to hog the guest of honor all afternoon. You have a line of fans waiting. We'll talk one day, Bella," he promised as he turned away, leaving me wondering what he meant about Charlie.

I turned back to the group and sure enough, everyone was waiting to introduce his or her family to me. I couldn't figure it out. I was just a teenage girl, a high school senior. I wasn't anyone's _squaw_ yet. What was the big deal? I suffered through meeting every last person, from Sam's mother all the way down to Jared's ten-year-old sister. Since I always tended to be shy, the afternoon was exhausting for me. Finally I met back up with Jacob. I slapped his arm playfully.

"Thanks for rescuing me from the vultures," I said sarcastically. "Why didn't you come and get me?"

He flashed me his dazzling grin. "Well, for one thing it was fun to watch you blush over and over. Did you know that you turn a different shade of red every time? It was fascinating." He laughed while I pouted. "And secondly, the tribe needs to meet you, Bells. These people are the only ones in on the secret, and they're really excited that the Alpha imprinted."

"The Alpha imprinted before," I pointed out, still a little miffed that he'd abandoned me in my time of need.

"Yeah, but everyone knew he wasn't going to _stay _the Alpha. And everyone knew Emily already. So this time it's different." There was something in his face, something I couldn't recognize. I tried to put my finger on it.

"What's the big deal? Who cares if the Alpha imprints?" I asked, still mystified.

Jake looked a little uncomfortable. "Uh…well," he said, shuffling one foot into the tile and jamming his hands in his pockets, not meeting my eyes.

"What?" I asked, alarmed now.

He looked up, pink spots on both cheekbones. "It's nothing _bad,_ Bells. It's just…well, they're happy that the tradition will continue."

I made a face, confused. Then it hit me. "What?" I squealed, my voice coming out an octave higher. "This is about you knocking me up, isn't it?"

A tiny grin touched his lips as his eyebrows met. "Nice language, Swan," he said sarcastically. "I prefer to think of it as planting my seed of love."

I shouted with laughter, despite the implications. "You. Are a jackass," I told him laughingly. His happy guffaw filled the room.

"I know it's ridiculous, Bells, but give the kids some hope, huh? They don't have much to set 'em all atwitter," he said. "It's been kinda bleak around here for awhile."

His sobering words made me rethink my position. He was right. There wasn't much to get excited over on the rez. But now the vampires were essentially gone, there was a scholarship fund in place, and their mighty Alpha had imprinted on the local police chief's daughter. I guess it was time to celebrate. I nodded in agreement, looking up at him lovingly. And I caught that same something in his eyes before he had time to change his expression. It was a look I didn't recognize - I still couldn't put my finger on it. Was it pride? But he broke the spell by changing the subject, saying, "I saw you talking to Tom Lahote."

"Yeah, that was a shocker," I said. "Paul actually seemed human for a second there."

"His dad is kind of a weird dude. Doesn't come around much," Jake said.

"He seemed really nice," I protested.

"How could you tell?" he asked. "The guy never has two words to say for himself."

I thought again about Paul's tie to the wolves. "Jake," I said. "How is Paul related to the last wolf chief? I mean, with everyone else, it's really obvious, but with Paul, I don't remember ever hearing anything about it."

"Yeah," Jake said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, it's sort of a tribe scandal. Paul's mom was actually the one who was a descendant, and at the time no one knew that the women could pass on the gene. Paul's mom was Sam's dad's cousin, and when Sam's dad left, Paul's mom followed him. As the story goes, she caught up with him in California, but Sam's dad - Josh is his name - wanted nothing to do with the Quileutes, so he told her to go back to Washington and leave him alone. She was out there with Paul, who was just, like, a baby at the time and she didn't have any money to come back, so she stayed there with Josh Uley for like, a few years or something."

"Wow. I had no idea that Paul didn't live here on the rez for his whole life," I said.

"Yeah, he never talks about it. I don't think he remembers much, because he was pretty little. But his mom had a really hard time. His dad was here on the rez, and he was really messed up. He was so messed up that after a couple of years, he went looking for Paul and his mom, and according to gossip, when he went looking for them, he…well, everyone says he kidnapped Paul."

"_Kid_napped him?" I said incredulously. "What?"

"Yeah," Jake said. "I know. The way I heard it, he somehow picked Paul up from school and just took off with him."

"School?" I asked. "He was old enough for _school_?"

"Yeah, he was in like, first or second grade. Tom showed up at the school and pulled a fast one, telling them that Paul's mom was sick, and that he was his dad and had to pick him up. He had tribal documents and ID, so they let him take Paul. Tom came directly here, driving all night. Once he was on the rez, Paul's mom really couldn't do anything. The rez laws kicked in and she couldn't take him away. She could have come back, but Josh Uley was such a hated figure here on the rez by then that it would have been a really hard move for her to make. Everyone knew she was on Josh's side, so she would have been an outcast here if she moved back. So she didn't."

I stood gaping at him, my mouth open. "Wait a second. You're telling me that Paul's _own mother _didn't ever try to come back here and get him?"

Jake shook his head. "No. So imagine what that was like for a little kid, six or seven years old, whose mom basically rejected him. No wonder Paul was such a dick."

I shook my head from side to side. "Okay, but now what? He's with his dad and everything is okay between them?"

"Yeah, well, no one knows what went on for those few years that he was out in California with his mom and Josh Uley. I mean, no one thinks anything went on between them or anything - they were cousins, after all. But Sam's dad was a real asshole. He left Sam's mom with Sam, who was a little guy, and took everything with him. All their money, their only car, and he even took all the money out of Sam's savings account that his grandma had set up for him. So no one thinks Paul was treated very well when he was in California with Josh and Greta, Paul's mom. And when his dad brought him back here, Tom and Paul's Grandma Lahote took really good care of him. But come on. It had to bug him, the fact that his mom never even bothered to come looking for him."

"I had no idea," I said, flabbergasted at the story.

"Yeah, it's pretty crazy. Paul took it hard when his grandma died. He's been pretty volatile ever since. I thought it was a little strange that he made it a point to introduce you to his dad today."

I tried to push the story of Paul's childhood out of my mind. "I met a lot of nice people today," I said.

"You did," he agreed. "And now I have a date with a third grader." He took my hand and pulled me back down the hall toward the gym, where I could still hear the kids shouting. His entrance into the gym caused the ruckus to escalate, and I watched with a bemused smile as my six-foot-seven boyfriend pretended to let a gaggle of ten-year-olds beat him at playing basketball.

(~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~)

Now that the threat of vampires was gone, life settled into a predictable pattern for the first time since I'd moved to Forks. I'd get up in the morning, eat a breakfast of Pop-tarts and milk, drive the truck to school, plod through the day, and then race to find Jake either sprawled in my house or his amid his schoolwork. We spent as much time as we could together, eating dinner at each others' houses at least twice a week and studying in my room or his until my 10pm curfew. Billy gained weight from my cooking, and Charlie gained weight from takeout he ordered on nights I cooked at the Blacks'.

The sweet lovemaking, unfortunately, fell by the wayside as we put renewed effort into our studies. We had admittedly let things slide since Victoria showed up. So we hit the books hard, and we studied our hearts out and left our lust behind.

It sucked. I hated it. But I had to admit, it worked. I was acing everything and so was he. I wouldn't even have to take a few of my finals, and that was really nice. What wasn't nice was the fact that Jake didn't seem to even want to get naked with me.

It had been almost a month since that first, magical time we'd done the nasty. And I realized now that we hadn't done it since. Sure, there had been the shower scene. There had been the spectacular oral performance. But that had kind of been the end of it. There had been a little rounding of the bases, but no sliding into home. The furthest he'd gotten was a double. I really wanted…that home run.

It was a Saturday morning in early May, and Charlie was fishing with Billy. Both of our houses were empty, but Jake wanted to go out for lunch with Sam and Emily. Finally I couldn't take it any more. I confronted him, in the best way I knew how.

We were in Charlie's living room, and he was in the process of trying to convince me that we should get going so we wouldn't be late to meet them.

"Come on, Bells. We're going to be late," he said.

"Sam'll wait," I said confidently. "You're the Alpha, remember?"

"Unfortunately, it's not something I can easily forget. But seriously, Bells. We gotta go."

He wasn't getting angry or anything, but he definitely was making his opinion known. So I decided to make my opinion known too.

I stepped closer to him, putting one arm around his neck and pressing the opposite palm to his chest, rubbing his pecs. "You sure we don't have at least a few minutes?"

His eyes darkened and he said, "What did you have in mind?"

The hand that had been moving over his chest moved down. I swept it across his concrete abs, feeling every line and divot. I could have stopped there, but I could feel a sense of urgency. So my hand continued down to the waistband of his jeans, which – due to the way the boys wear their pants these days - was only a couple of inches above my Final Destination.

My breath was coming faster, and I could tell he was getting a little hot – along with a little confused. This wasn't like me in the least. I wasn't one to take the lead. He bent to kiss me, but there was a hesitation as his lips met mine. He kissed me softly, once, twice. "What's up, Bells?" he said softly.

"Mmmmm," I murmured, my hand going lower as I continued kissing him. My fingers traced the growing denim-covered erection growing in his pants. It was standing straight up, pointing to his belly, and I ran my palm over the tip first, then slowly slid my hand down to cup between his thighs.

"Jesus, Bells," he rasped. "Whaddya tryna do to me?"

"I'm trying to make sweet, sweet love to you, Black," I whispered.

"Thanks for the heads-up," he chuckled, then slid his tongue between my lips.

He backed me up until we were lying on the couch, with me under him. Pulling back from my mouth, he pressed his forehead to mine and with smoldering eyes, breathed, "If we're gonna do this, then let's fuckin' do it."

If I wasn't wet before, his words caused a geyser in my undies, and I pushed my hips into his pelvis assertively. Like I'd given him the proverbial green light, he removed my shirt with a single mindedness that took my breath away. Oops! Looks like I accidentally unleashed the beast!

My bra was on the floor in seconds, and his hot hand fumbled at the button of my jeans. "Goddammit, get these things _off,_" he growled. I hurriedly slid them down, hooking my thumbs into my panties and drawing them off at the same time. I kicked them on to the end of the couch, and he pulled his jeans down just enough to free the purple headed warrior residing in his pants.

After only a second of grappling, the hot head of his behemoth was pressing into my entrance, moving inexorably toward its ultimate goal – being buried balls-deep within me. I was all for it, and although the stretching was still a little uncomfortable, I shoved my hips forward, desperately wanting that full feeling that I knew came from only one thing.

He grunted as his massive tool became fully sheathed inside me. I held him still for a second, getting used to the girth again, and then my hands went to his ass and I pulled him toward me, writhing up against him, furiously seeking pressure against my clit. I realized that he still had his jeans almost all the way up – his ass was still mostly covered beneath my hands. I pushed them down juusstt a little more, so I had those two amazing globes firmly in my palms as I rubbed myself against him, seeking relief.

"Fuck, baby," he grunted, thrusting up against me and finding a rhythm that had me gasping. It was like he knew exactly what I needed and was giving it to me…hard. It was just what I had been craving – boiling hot, blazing fast, and as passionate as young love can be. Yeah, this imprint thing was working out just fine.

It didn't take very long. As soon as I felt his hot payload coating my insides, I began to throb with waves of pleasure. He kept thrusting, drawing me completely over the edge, and I lay there trembling beneath him as he covered my face with tiny, sweet kisses.

"That, my little friend, is called a quickie," he whispered in my ear, causing me to giggle hysterically.

"I think I like quickies," I told him, grinning up at him.

"Yeah, it seems like you do," he smiled back. "We'll have to do it a little more often." He made a move to get up, so I rolled off him and found my clothes, getting dressed again as he pulled up his pants.

"Uh, _yeah_," I said sarcastically. "Like more than once a _month_, maybe?"

He came up behind me as I was buttoning my jeans, putting his arms around me. "I know, baby. I'm sorry. It's just…remember that time…the first night after the imprint? When you wanted to do it and I like…_couldn't_?"

Remember? Of course I remembered. I thought about it all the time. The rejection had been devastating, even _with_ the imprint. "Yes, I remember," I said sadly.

"Well, I don't want that to happen again. I don't know why it happened, and I never had a chance to ask Sam about it. I'd hate to start something, only to…have to stop because of some supernatural bullshit attack of conscience or whatever that is."

"Oh," I said. I thought about it. He was right. We didn't know what that was about, and it had been really weird, almost like an Alpha order he had to obey – although I knew now that _he_ was the Alpha then.

"It's one of the reasons I wanted to see Sam today. So are you ready now that you've had your chance to make sweet, sweet love to me?"

I turned in his arms and kissed him hard. "Okay," I said. "Only first, I want a promise. Next time you decide that we're taking a break from making sweet, sweet love, at least tell me why, okay?"

"Yeah, that's a deal," he said, taking my hand and pulling me out the door.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Hi you guys! Here's another new chapter. I hope you like it. I'm sorry I haven't been answering your reviews - please don't stop leaving them! I've been getting used to a new computer - Windows 8 is a LOT different from Vista (yes, I'm THAT old!) and there**'s** a definite learning curve. Plus my cat needed surgery. Anyway, I'll catch up before I publish the next chap. Thanks for hanging in there!**

**LOVE all you guys, thanks for your reviews, follows and favorites, and THANK YOU to the following people: cloudshadow22 for the "panty liner line" (LOL) last chapter, and Trife for the imprint's cycle stuff in this chapter. Thanks for the inspiration! Lastly, my Writing Angel Kissa_621 for all her fabulous help. Anything you recognize is SM's.**

CHAPTER 23

We arrived at the restaurant only fifteen minutes late. Sam and Emily were at a table toward the back of the little Mexican place. As we walked up, Jake stared Sam down, holding his gaze until Sam lowered his eyes submissively. It was one of the hottest things I'd ever seen.

We sat down with them and ordered our drinks. Emily and I were sitting next to each other and I caught her grinning at me. She leaned in conspiratorially. "I see that you have that Alpha fever," she smiled. "Pretty freaking hot, isn't it?" She winked.

"What do you mean?" I asked, feigning ignorance. I didn't want to let on that we were doing the nasty, especially since we really _weren't_. At least, not as much as I'd like.

"Don't try to lie to me, Bella. I can see it in your eyes. You've been captured by Alpha Jake."

I blushed to my hairline, choking out, "It's that obvious?"

She laughed, causing the guys to look at us curiously. Sam shook his head and turned back to Jacob, rolling his eyes at the mysteries of women.

"It's written all over your face," she said with a smile. "So tell me…has he been 'asserting his Alpha' over you?" Emily made air-quotes.

"_What_?" I gasped, my face getting hotter.

"You know, the Alpha thing," she continued matter-of-factly, blatantly ignoring my embarrassment. "They can't help it. And I have to say, even though it was fun while it lasted, I'm sort of glad that Sam isn't really like that any more. It's not in me to always be submissive. I like a little romance now and then."

"Jake isn't really like that, Em. He'd never do anything to make me uncomfortable," I told her seriously, pushing aside my discomfort with the topic.

"Maybe not_ yet_," Emily said with a knowing grin. "But give him a little time. As soon as he figures out that he can give you orders, he'll start."

I shook my head. "Not Jake," I disagreed. "Anyway, I think he already knows. And he isn't taking advantage or anything." She shrugged. I could tell she didn't believe me.

I knew Jake didn't like Alpha orders, or at least he hadn't liked receiving them. He hated anything that took away personal choices. That hadn't changed now that _he_ was the Alpha, had it? The thought made me tingle…and it embarrassed me too, remembering how willingly I'd done whatever he'd told me to do…so far. He had to be aware of the effect his directives had on me, especially since he's given me that cryptic "Alpha order" line on the way to the council meeting that day. I didn't think I could be submissive _all _the time, but giving in to Alpha Jake was pretty satisfying for me too.

I remembered what Jake had told me about Sam's Alpha style. Sam had been pushy and arrogant – maybe that was why he'd insisted Emily bend to his will – and maybe that was why Jake had hated the Alpha orders so much. Maybe it wasn't so much the Alpha orders but the Alpha _style_ Sam used that Jake rebelled against. Jake wouldn't want to be like Sam. I suddenly remembered now that Jake had told me that he made the pack _want_ to submit to him. Is that why I'd felt that longing to please him whenever he'd given me an order? Was he making _me_ want to please him too? I already knew this much - I_ wanted_ to comply with whatever he told me to do. As long as it would gratify him, I'd do it willingly. Eagerly, even. I turned back to Emily.

"He's not the same kind of Alpha as Sam. He…does it a little different," I told her.

"Oh, I know," she said, nodding. "But still…" She raised her eyebrows suggestively.

I lowered my voice to a whisper and leaned in to her. "Emily!" I hissed. "Jake's not like that. He doesn't want to do that to me – I promise. I mean…yeah, we've had a couple of – episodes – where he's uh…taken the lead. But it's loving, not aggressive. He'd never make me do something I didn't want to do."

Jake glanced over at me suddenly, his eyebrows drawing together in concern. Damn that wolf hearing – he'd caught our whole conversation. I groaned inwardly, mortified. Sam kept his gaze respectfully centered on the table as Jake turned to us. "Emily, Bella's right. I'd never try to force her into anything. I love her too much for that. Just because I have power over her doesn't mean I have to exert it."

I wanted to _swoon_! He rode in like my knight in shining armor and saved me, putting Emily in her place politely and subtly throwing Sam a dig while he was at it. _God_, he was so _good_ at this!

"Sorry, Jacob. I didn't mean anything by what I said," Emily hurried to apologize.

Jake put his arm around me, encircling me with his warmth. "Don't give my baby a hard time, Em! She's new at this," Jake smiled. All was forgiven.

I just shook my head, overwhelmed. Yes, the thought of letting Jake command me wasn't completely distasteful. I could feel my face reddening as I thought of the things we'd done so far - and the things we might do if he decided to Alpha me in the bedroom. Okay, I had to talk to him about this. I was relieved when the waitress appeared with our drinks. Thank God, a distraction! I gratefully took a sip, hoping no one had noticed my blushing face.

We placed our orders and small talk took over the table. It was the third anniversary of Sam and Emily's first real date, so over the weekend they were revisiting the places they'd gone that night. It consisted of the movie theater and the public gardens in Forks, and then an ice cream shop. They seemed to be enjoying their romantic weekend, and I was happy for them.

"What's going on with Quil and Leah?" Sam asked. I could tell he was slightly jealous. After all, he'd been the love of Leah's life for years, and now she was with Quil. Even though Sam had Emily, it had to be a little hard for him to take, watching Quil moving in on his territory.

Jake laughed. "That imprint's gotta be one for the books. She's always been such a bitch, and Quil's the pack clown. I can't wait to see how it shakes out."

Emily jumped to Leah's defense. "Jake, come on. Give Leah a break. She's had a rough go of it. She deserves to have a few laughs."

"Yeah, but will she laugh or knock his head off? That's the real question," Jake said, unconcerned by Emily's protest.

"Leah's doing great," I said. "She's happy. She really loves Quil." I remembered the night when we'd sat crying in my room, listlessly trying to come to terms with our imminent demise at the hands of Jasper. Leah has poured her heart out to me. I knew how she felt about Quil. As divergent as the two seemed, they got along well.

Sam managed a smile. "She does deserve some fun. Poor kid," he said. "Maybe I'll talk to Quil, sort of help him understand her."

Jake looked at him smugly. "You'll stay out of it," he said mildly, nodding as if Sam had already agreed with him. Sam looked at him quickly, his pupils dilating. Jake stared him down, and Sam finally dropped his eyes. Jake nodded once as if that settled it. Sam wouldn't be talking to Quil about Leah, I was sure of it.

"I guess you're right. I wouldn't want to step on any paws," quipped Sam. All four of us chuckled at that.

But Emily didn't miss the exchange. I saw her smile a secret smile as she averted her eyes from us. That seemed a little peculiar, almost as if she enjoyed seeing Sam put in his place. Maybe that _was_ the case. Or maybe she just didn't like the fact that Sam wanted to help Leah, his former lover. Either way, she seemed to enjoy his comeuppance.

Our lunch arrived and we ate, talking over pack business and gossip. The scholarship fund had been worked out, and Paul, who was my age and would graduate in a few weeks, was planning on applying for the scholarship for the upcoming fall semester at the University of Washington. According to Sam, he was planning to major in pre-law.

"Pre-law?" Jacob asked in confusion. "What good will that do for the tribe? We need a lawyer like we need a hole in the head."

"Jake, you know this stuff. Natives will never be able to pull themselves out of the ditch we're in until we can own land on the rez. The fact that the tribe owns it means we can't own our houses, and that makes it tough to get credit for anything, from buying cars to student loans. Besides, it makes for fewer jobs. Imagine if we could build neighborhoods on the rez. Streets with little houses. Everyone on the rez could work doing that stuff. But first we have to figure out how to establish private ownership on the rez. If Paul becomes a lawyer and has a specialty in Native American law, he might be able to help."

"And if he were able to somehow establish private ownership, ninety percent of the men on the rez could be in the building trade," Jake added.

"Exactly," Sam agreed. "So next we need someone to major in construction management."

Emily spoke up for the first time. "Leah," she said quietly. "She's thinking of going to community college in Port Ang until Quil graduates next year. Sue says she can afford the first year at Peninsula, but Leah will probably apply for the scholarship next year, along with Quil. Leah wants to go for construction management. And Quil is thinking of majoring in agriculture. He thinks we might be able to improve the crappy land the government stuck us with and get something to grow if we know what we're doing."

"Wow," I commented. "If those things work out, the rez really could improve."

"That's the idea, Bella," Sam said with a smile.

Jake looked at him, narrowing his eyes. I thought he was going to reprimand him for something, but instead he said, "Sam? Why don't you go?"

"Ah, I'm too old," Sam answered quickly.

Emily silently shook her head. I could tell this was something they'd discussed before, and Emily didn't agree with him about it.

"In four years, you're gonna be four years older no matter what. If you go to college, you'll be four years older with a degree," Jacob urged.

"What about the garage?" Sam asked. Emily's mouth became a hard line and she looked down into her lap, holding her tongue with difficulty.

"Anyone could run the garage," Jake said, not realizing how demeaning it sounded.

Sam's eyes flashed. "Not true, Jacob," he said, a challenge in his voice. "It takes a lot to manage that place. And I'm busy over there."

I could see Jake contemplating calling Sam out on his insubordination, but then his face changed. He could tell this was a matter of pride with Sam. I was glad when he didn't say any more about it.

"Okay, it was just a suggestion," Jake said, uncharacteristically backing down. "Have you heard anything else? Any other pack members thinking of applying for the scholarship?" Jake had been away from the rez so much lately, he was behind on the news.

"Yeah, that pervert Embry wants to be a gynecologist," Emily said, bringing laughter around the table.

"That sounds about right," Jake said, chuckling.

The meal continued over small talk and gossip from the rez. I tuned out, my mind swirling with the possibilities for the reservation, thanks to Carlisle.

When the guys had stuffed as much food into themselves as they could hold, Jake finally brought up the real reason we'd met with Sam today. "So anyway," he said. "Awhile back, like a month or so ago, something crazy happened. I kept meaning to ask you about this, Sam, but with everything going on I didn't have a chance. You know when I imprinted, right? Well, that night, Bells and I were…y'know, getting uh…romantic, and I couldn't finish the deed. I mean, I _couldn't_. It was almost like an Alpha order. But then a few nights later, no such problem. Why do you think that would be?" He said it so impassively, it was impossible to get embarrassed. He said it like he was talking about the weather.

"Yeah, that'll happen sometimes. It's got something to do with the imprint's cycle," Sam answered, equally calm.

_Jesus!_ Discuss my flow, why don't you? Now I _was_ embarrassed, and Emily shot me a sympathetic look as I blushed scarlet.

"What were you using for birth control?" Sam continued smoothly.

Jake froze, his eyes on Sam. He gulped once. "Uh…" he said. It was the first time I'd seen him at a loss with one of his pack members.

"Fuck, Jacob. Don't tell me you weren't using _anything_?" he said in a low voice.

"You said we couldn't use condoms," Jake hissed.

"I said we couldn't use condoms, not that you shouldn't use _anything_!" Sam answered back, whispering too.

"Why? What's the big deal? It was her first time, we're okay." Jake licked his lips nervously.

"Dude. _Seriously._ The reason you couldn't do it the first night is that she probably wasn't on the right day of her cycle. I'd bet anything that she was ovulating the time when you _could_ do it."

"Wait_, what_? Why didn't anyone tell me about that? Did you guys know about the imprint's cycle thing?"

"Well, obviously, we knew," Sam said, looking down at his drink. "I guess it didn't really occur to us to tell you about it."

"That's great, Sam," Jacob said sarcastically. "Don't you think it would've been nice to know? And come on – we can only do it when she's likely to get pregnant? That's ridiculous! We'd hardly ever do it then."

_Holy shit_! We hardly ever _did_ do it! Was that why – because if it was, then forget it! I wasn't having my only sexual relationship fettered by some stupid wolfy attempt to repopulate!

Thankfully, Emily interrupted. "Okay, Sam said _sometimes _that happens. Trust me, it's not all the time. In fact, as far as we're concerned, it's very rare. It only happened to us once, and that was the very first time we were together."

"That's weird. It was our first time too," Jake said.

"Yeah, I think Jared mentioned the same thing," Sam added. "First time."

Jake shrugged, a typical teenage boy despite his role as Alpha and his status in the tribe. "Well, I'm sure it's fine," he said with studied nonchalance. "None of you guys got your imprints pregnant. And Bella'd know by now."

But I wasn't so sure. I'd been caught up in various and assorted activities, and hadn't kept very good track of my period lately. When had the last one been? I honestly couldn't remember.

After lunch was over, we said our goodbyes to Sam and Emily, we hung out at Billy's house. Even though Rachel had returned from college that weekend, she wasn't home. It gave me the opportunity to talk to Jake about the Alpha thing. We were watching a baseball game on TV, sitting on Billy's couch when I finally worked up the nerve.

"That conversation at lunch today was a little strange, wasn't it? I mean, between me and Emily?" I asked him.

He glanced away from the game he was watching on TV. "You know that Sam and I have different styles, Bells," he said, avoiding the subject altogether. But I wasn't letting him off that easily.

"She brought up something that's sort of been bothering me, though. Do you, um…what's the story with the Alpha's power over the imprint?" I asked haltingly.

Jacob sighed long and loud. "Look, Bells, I don't think there's any _real_ Alpha power over the imprint, okay? Sam is kind of a controlling SOB. He's like that. I'm not really that way, baby – you know that." He winked.

"But we've kind of done that stuff. A little bit," I said shyly.

"Yeah, but you didn't really _have_ to do what I said," he told me. "Remember, even when I told you…a couple of those things…you didn't completely obey." He grinned knowingly.

I was silent for a minute, thinking. "I guess I didn't keep my hands at my sides like you said," I admitted, flustered with embarrassment.

"No you didn't," he agreed. "And you didn't exactly _hush_, either." He turned to me on the couch and nuzzled my neck. "Which was sorta hot, I gotta admit. I kinda like the...," his lips moved to my ear, "moaning."

I turned my face to his, and we spent the next few minutes in a sloppy lip lock.

"So it's more the power of suggestion?" I asked him.

"Pretty much. But I don't mind if you still want to get Alpha'd now and then."

That familiar feeling of lust swept through me. _Damn! _Why did he have to be so sexy? "You can Alpha me any time – as long as you ask me first," I said, smiling.

"Okay, that works for me," he laughed.

On the way home, I remembered to ask Jake about the exchange between Sam and Emily, and Sam's reaction to Jacob asking him if he planned to go to college. Jake made a face.

"I shouldn't have said anything," he said ruefully. "I know better."

"What's that mean?" I asked, mystified.

"Well, Sam had already been accepted to Washington State when he phased for the first time. He couldn't leave then. Can you imagine being eight hours away from home and accidentally phasing? That would've sucked. So he didn't go, and then all the shit started with the bloodsuckers, so he kept putting it off. Now he thinks he's too old, and he's stuck at the garage. He wanted to be a therapist, major in Psych. He thinks the rez needs a good therapist – for all the domestic abuse and alcoholism and stuff. Now he's saddled with being a grease monkey instead. It's a matter of pride with him, though. And I guess it's _kinda_ good. He can employ any of the pack who doesn't want to go to college, or who can't get in."

I quietly thought about Sam's sacrifice all the way back to Charlie's.

I'd forgotten all about the lunchtime conversation until Jake dropped me off that night, kissing me on the front porch like it was the 1950s and leaving before I had a chance to invite him in.

I made my way upstairs, my mind suddenly whirring while trying to figure out how long it had been since I had a period. When I got to my room, I took the calendar off the back of the door and sat on the bed.

I counted once, than again. And another time. And just like every other girl who'd had this problem from the beginning of time, I counted once more. There was no mistaking it. Six weeks. It had been six weeks since I'd had a period.

I felt nauseated for another reason entirely. No. This _couldn't _be happening. Not to me! This kind of thing happened to girls who were trashy, girls who were stupid, girls who got bad grades or were poor or had parents who didn't love them. Not to me! Not to Bella Swan, straight-A student; capable, smart, helpful daughter of the Forks Chief of Police.

Oh my God…Charlie! What would he say? He'd disown me. He'd _kill_ me!

No, it would be _worse_ than that. He'd be disappointed. Disillusioned. He'd be profoundly crushed; his only daughter - stupid enough to let something like this happen. Tears threatened to fall as I thought of his face when I would inevitably have to tell him. But I gulped them back. Crying now had no purpose.

And what about Jake? What would he say? He had school to finish, plans for the future, a bright mind that shouldn't be wasted like Sam's in an auto mechanic's shop on the Quileute Reservation. We couldn't afford to get married. Jake's only hope was the scholarship, and they'd never give it to him if they knew he had a pregnant girlfriend, or worse yet, an illegitimate child!

Okay, okay, maybe I was freaking out for no reason. I needed to take a pregnancy test. I drove to the drug store, one of the loneliest trips I ever took. I went to the self-checkout, since there was no way it would remain a secret if the clerk saw Chief Swan's daughter go through her line with a pregnancy test. I double bagged it so no one could see, and slunk back out to my truck, glancing around nervously. I didn't think anyone had seen me.

I read the directions on the box, and it said that I should use my "first morning urine" for best results. Gross. Okay, that's what I'd do. Unfortunately, I now heard Charlie's cruiser pulling into the drive. He and Billy must have stopped off for drinks and dinner after fishing. It was too late for me to go out to the reservation now, though I desperately wanted to talk with Jake. It wasn't something I'd call or text him about either. This required a face-to-face conversation.

I slept fitfully, tossing and turning all night. Whenever I'd wake up, I'd try to talk myself into believing that this was all just nerves and excitement, and there was no way I could possibly be pregnant. I finally got out of bed at about 5:30, unable to take it any more. I stumbled to the bathroom and held the little stick in the toilet while I peed on it. But I didn't look. I put the plastic cap back on, and stuck the whole thing back in the box. Then I got in my truck and drove to La Push.

As soon as I hit the rez, I saw, of all people, Paul jogging down the side of the street, streaming sweat. He heard the truck coming and flagged me down. I pulled over reluctantly, and he opened the passenger side door and got in.

"Good, thanks for stopping. You can drive me home," he said. It had just begun raining and I surmised that he didn't want to run in it.

"Paul, why are you out running?" I asked. "It's not like you need the training."

He gave me a sidelong glance. "Sometimes I run just for the head-clearing properties," he answered. "Take a left here." As we drove, he asked, "Why are you out here so early?"

"I came to see Jake," I said. "Why do you need your head cleared?"

He rolled his eyes. "Long story," he said shortly. "Did Jake mention that his sister came home from college this weekend? She's done."

"Yeah, we were there yesterday, but she wasn't home. I'm dying to see her. It's been years," I said.

Paul directed me to his place, a little mobile home on a muddy street. I left the engine running as he got out. "Hey, why don't you come in?" he asked. "My dad probably made some coffee."

"I need to see Jake, Paul," I said.

"Believe me, he isn't up yet. You guys won't miss church or anything." I rolled my eyes. "C'mon in," Paul urged, getting out of the truck and not waiting for an answer. I turned off the ignition and followed him.

The mobile home was about what you'd expect. It was small and cramped, a little messy, and decorated horribly. But it was cozy, and Tom Lahote sat at the little Formica kitchen table, nursing a cup of hot coffee. "Hi, Bella! This is a surprise," he said, looking up at me. "Want a cup of coffee?"

"Okay," I said reluctantly, sitting down after Paul pulled out one of the kitchen chairs for me. He sat down himself as his dad poured us both a cup of coffee.

"So what brings you to La Push so early in the morning?" Tom asked.

I didn't want to let on the real reason I was here, so I said hesitantly, "I just have something to talk to Jake about, that's all."

Paul huffed a short, humorless laugh. "It's awfully early for a talk. What's up, Bella?" he asked.

I shrugged evasively and took a sip of coffee. It gave me a small bit of warmth. I realized I was shivering. Paul continued as if he hadn't asked me anything. "You hear the newest pack scandal?" he asked. I shook my head.

"Paul imprinted," Tom said, watching Paul carefully. When he caught his eye, I saw Tom shake his head once – a warning of some sort.

Paul hesitated for a fraction of a second before saying, "Yep, we're gonna be related, Bella. You can start calling me bro now."

"What are you talking about?" I asked him, momentarily distracted from my woe-is-me attitude. "Who did you imprint on?"

"Rachel Black. In fact, you caught me coming home from her place, not out for a run." He grinned at me. "You believe that shit? Now I gotta take care of Jake. I'm gonna be his big bro. Gotta pound some sense into that kid."

"Oh, my God, congratulations, Paul!" I exclaimed, ignoring his disparaging remarks about Jacob. "Does Jacob know? He didn't mention it."

"He knows, he's just not thrilled about it," Paul said. "I don't know why! I'd love to have me as a brother-in-law! But thanks for the congrats. It's really amazing, isn't it?" He smiled at me, and the look in his eyes made me smile back. Paul – in love! What a concept. I wondered if it would change him.

I laughed, forgetting my pressing problem for a second. "It is," I said sweetly. "It's the best. But I really do have to get going. I have to talk to Jake."

"Ah, stay a few more minutes," Tom said easily. "At least finish your coffee."

"What's the big secret, Swan?" Paul asked. "You're not just here to tell Jake what you ate for breakfast. You've got big news; I can tell. Come on, babes, you can tell me. We're gonna be family, y'know. You can tell me anything. Wha'ja do, spend too much money on a new lipstick or something?"

I forced a short laugh. "I wish it were something so easy," I said. But I wasn't going to tell Paul anything. After all, I hardly knew him.

Paul reached across the table. I don't know if it was the kindness of the gesture from a guy who I'd never caught in a kind act, or the fact that his hand was as warm and vital as Jake's. But his touch did something, and I looked up into his ebony eyes, glittering as they watched me carefully. "Are you okay, honey?" he asked me. The endearment that Jake used so frequently with me caused me to feel like I was going to cry.

"Can we talk somewhere else?" I asked him softly.

"Sure," he said quickly, standing up without letting go of my hand. "Come with me."

He led me down the tiny hallway past the bathroom and into what I assumed was his bedroom. A miniscule twin sized bed was shoved into one corner and a small dresser was directly opposite of it. That was all the furniture that was in the bedroom, and even that made it look crowded. We sat on the bed since it was either that or the floor.

"Ok, what's up, Bella?" he asked earnestly, watching me with concern.

"God, Paul, I don't know how to say it…but…"

"But what?" he said. He could see I was uncomfortable. "You want me to try and guess?"

"Uh…" I was tongue tied.

"Okay, let's see. Your dad said you can't see him any more?" I shook my head. "You fell out of love with him?"

"No!" I cried.

He looked right into my eyes and said, "You think you're pregnant, don't you?"

My face crumpled at hearing it put into words. No tears came but I dropped my face into my hands and moaned in despair. I felt his arm around my shoulders, patting me soothingly. "Okay, honey. It's okay. Jake can take it. He'll take care of you," he said consolingly.

"But, I don't even know how to tell him. I really want to just leave town and not come back. He won't be able to go to school; he won't be able to do anything! It will ruin his life."

"Nah," Paul said dismissively. "He's the golden boy here on the rez. Everyone will be thrilled if you're actually pregnant, even if you guys are young and unmarried." He hesitated for a minute. "Did you take a test?"

I nodded, and then admitted, "But I still haven't looked at it. I'm scared to."

"Do you have it with you?"

"Yeah." I reached into the pocket of my hoodie for the slender pink box and handed it to him. "You look," I said. "I can't."

Paul pulled the stick out of the box and peered at it, his eyebrows coming together in concentration. "Um, Bella…there's a plus sign," he said flatly, looking up at me.

"Fuck," I spat. "I knew it. Oh, God, Paul, what am I gonna do?"

"You're gonna drive your sweet ass over to the Blacks' house and tell Jake what's up," Paul said decisively. "He's a man, Bella. He can take it."

"I don't think I can do it, Paul. I have a better idea. Maybe I could just…y'know, take care of the problem?"

Paul hesitated for a second before letting loose with a string of profanities. "Jesus Christ, are you kidding me? Mother fu..Isabella Swan, don't you _dare_. I'll tell him myself if you don't tell him today. Y'know, a lot of guys on the rez have lost their firstborn that way, and I gotta tell you, that hurts. It bothers us. So don't even think of doing that, okay? I get that you're scared, but that's the _Alpha's baby_ you're carrying. You can't get rid of it."

I felt like a child being scolded by a much older brother. I really didn't want to tell Jake, but now I knew I had to. Paul was going to make me.

"Paul, seriously. I don't want to tell him. I'm so scared."

"Bella, this kind of thing happens to the best of people. Shit, half the people walking around in the world were probably mistakes."

I sat staring down at my hands folded in my lap. "What about Charlie?" I wailed.

"Charlie will understand. Believe me, he will."

I looked over at Paul. He sat with his hand on my shoulder, awkwardly trying to comfort me. It was so out of character for him. Was it because of the imprint that Paul suddenly seemed human? Or was it something else altogether? Had Paul become human while no one was looking? He certainly seemed to _care_ all of a sudden. I had to think it was Rachel. In such a short time, she'd already changed him.

"Can you go with me?" I asked him hopefully, looking up into his angular face.

"Let's give him a few more minutes of sleep, huh?" Paul said. "Come on. My dad is still in the kitchen. Let's go have another cup of coffee, and then we can go."

Reluctantly, I let him lead me back down the short hall to the little kitchen. Tom sat there with his coffee and what looked like a homemade streusel coffee cake, hot out of the oven. He was dishing it up onto three plates. The warm cinnamon smell permeated the air, and I sniffed appreciatively, suddenly realizing how hungry I was.

"You two get it all ironed out?" he asked mildly, looking up from his task as we entered the kitchen.

"Bella's pregnant, Dad," Paul blurted, and I turned on him.

"Paul!" I cried. "What the hell?" I was furious. Why would he tell him so nonchalantly like that?

Paul shrugged. "Keep in under wraps, Dad. Everyone will know pretty soon, but till then it's our secret."

Tom didn't bat an eye. He handed me a slice of coffee cake on a plate and said, "Does Charlie know?"

"No," I said, pouting.

"You gonna tell him?" Tom asked.

"I have to, Tom! But he's gonna kill me."

Tom studied my face silently, his expression unreadable. Then he said, "Your dad'll understand, Bella. Trust me."

What were they talking about? First Paul had said Charlie would understand, and now Tom was echoing that sentiment.

"You both seem so sure of that, but you guys don't even really know Charlie very well. How do you know he'll understand?"

Tom looked uncomfortable for the first time. Paul eyed him, waiting for…_something_. Finally Tom said, "It's not the first little mistake here on the rez, just put it that way."

"I know. Paul told me about that. But what's that got to do with Charlie?"

Tom glanced at Paul, then down to the table. "Well, Charlie may or may not have been involved in something similar when he was in high school," Tom said.

I froze. What was Tom saying? That I had an illegitimate half-sibling running around the rez? My eyes flicked between them, panic making my heart race. "_What_?" I managed to whisper.

Paul shifted uncomfortably as Tom started talking. "Bella, there's a lot you don't know about Charlie. He wasn't always the super-serious police chief in Forks. Before that, he was a typical teenage kid. And he had a major thing for Sue Uley."

"Clearwater now," Paul volunteered.

"What exactly are you saying?" I asked quietly.

"Charlie and Sue were a hot item back in the day," Tom offered, seeming to almost enjoy the story. Well, maybe 'enjoy' was the wrong word. I think Tom just thought it was high time I knew about this. "They dated for over a year. Harry wasn't in the picture then; he was a little older, and he wasn't living on the rez at the time. He'd gotten work in Seattle and was living there. So Charlie and Sue were it. They were the shining couple, the golden pair. Everyone always loved Charlie, and Sue was probably the prettiest girl on the rez at the time. Almost as pretty as Leah is now. Everyone expected them to get married, have a family, and live happily ever after in Forks." Tom hesitated for a second. "But then Sue dumped Charlie, right before graduation."

"_Why_?" I asked, caught up in the story.

"That was everyone's question - Why?" Tom said. "Of course, Billy and Quil IV and me knew, because we were tight. Charlie had gotten Sue pregnant. But Sue had big plans. She was going to college to be a nurse, and she couldn't do it pregnant. So she did what girls who don't want to be pregnant do. Charlie was devastated. And she dumped him, because she couldn't stand to look in his eyes and know she was the one who put that pain there. At least that's what she told him. Charlie wanted to marry her. He wanted that baby. But Sue…didn't. And I'm not judging her. She did what she had to do, what was right for her. But it killed Charlie. He changed that summer. And it wasn't long after that that he hooked up with your mom. It's no wonder it didn't work out. Renee was Charlie's transition relationship, and he went and married her."

I couldn't even take this in. Charlie and _Sue_? It didn't even seem to fit. But…now? Charlie was with Sue all the time now. Was that why?

I thought about the little warning look I'd caught between Paul and his dad earlier. "So when you were talking about the pack scandal this morning, it wasn't Paul imprinting on Rachel Black, was it? It's about Charlie hanging around Sue again. It wasn't a pack scandal, it was a _tribe_ scandal."

Paul made a face at his dad. "Nice job, Pops," he sneered. "You and your big mouth."

"What are people saying?" I asked, looking from Paul to Tom.

Tom spoke up. "Well, they're basically gossiping about the fact that it's so soon after Harry died. But really, everyone already knows there's a history there. Charlie and Sue were in love a long time ago. And I think they're in love again."

"Yeah, Seth is saying that Charlie's not exactly sleeping on the couch those nights he's staying over," Paul added.

I shook my head like I was trying to clear it. "That can't be true! Charlie's not like that," I said.

"Not like what, Bella? He's a man, isn't he? And it's been a damn long time since he split with your mom," Tom said, focusing on me.

"I know, but it seems…so out of character for him," I said.

"It's not out of character for the Charlie I know," Tom said, a little smile showing through. "That Charlie was crazy. He was fun. Not this stick in the mud cop that he is now."

"Hey," I said. "That's my dad you're talking about."

"Yeah, I know, and he's been a great dad for you from what I can see, but I miss the old Charlie. So I don't care how much he hangs out with Sue Uley Clearwater. If it brings old Charlie back, I'm all for it." He smiled at me, then glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. "You're a good kid, Bella. I'd really like to sit here and tell you about your dad some more. But I have an appointment, and I have to go."

On a Sunday? But Paul seemed to take it in stride. He turned to me, taking my hand. "Come on, Bella," he said. "I already miss Rachel anyway. I was gonna take a shower, but I'll just take one at the Blacks' house. Let's go. I think you've had enough of the reminiscing for now anyway."

I nodded, following him out of the trailer. "Lemme drive," Paul demanded, putting his hand out for the keys. I dropped them into his palm.

When we were on our way to Jake's, Paul said, "So you're wondering where my dad's going on a Sunday morning, huh? Well, it's not church, that's for sure."

"So where then?" I asked.

"His AA meeting. He goes twice a week."

I didn't know what to say, so I said nothing. "Yeah, he's been sober for twelve years. And I'm really proud of him for that." He glanced over at me, a challenge in his expression.

"You should be," I said. That seemed to satisfy him. He nodded slightly, and the subject changed.

"So you're really nervous about telling Jacob, huh?" Paul said.

"You have no idea," I answered, putting my hands over my face again at the mere thought.

"Well, we're here," he said. "So you better get over it." Nothing was very far from anything else in La Push, unfortunately. It was time to face the music. I took my hands away from my face and saw that we were at Billy's place, and Jake was coming out the door in response to hearing my truck pull up. His expression turned from surprised happiness to confusion when he saw Paul. He looked back to me, perplexed.

He was so innocent, so clueless of the way our lives were about to change. My heart squeezed for him, wishing I didn't have to do this but knowing there wasn't a choice. Taking a deep breath for courage, I opened the passenger door of the truck and got out.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Here's the "reaction" chapter everyone's been clamoring for - you're either gonna love it or hate it, so let me know. Love you guys, thanks for the reviews and the faves and the follows - and just for reading this. It's incredible!**

**A special thanks to Kissa_621, my pre-reader who gives me amazing ideas and keeps me grounded. Love ya!**

**Blah blah blah, Stephenie Meyer, yada yada yada.**

CHAPTER 24

Paul was out of the truck first, and Jake groaned, rolling his eyes to the sky. "_Ugh_! I thought you were giving us a break for five minutes!" he moaned.

Paul shot him a dirty look. "Hey, Alphie, good to see you too. Your girlfriend needs to talk to you," he said dismissively, sweeping past him into Billy's house like he owned it. Paul glanced back at me over his shoulder. "Lemme know if you need anything, babes," he said with a sly grin. Jake shoved an elbow into his side as he passed. I allowed myself a little smile at their antics, but then the serious mask came back down.

Jake walked over to me, a grin on his face. "To what do I owe this…?" he began, but then he saw my face and his footsteps faltered, the smile evaporating. "What's wrong, baby? Everything okay at home?"

Oh, this was going to be so hard! He was so perfect, and here I came to wreck his life. I sighed, then decided to stall. "Why didn't you tell me Paul imprinted on your sister?" I asked, hoping for a distraction.

"That's not what you're here about?" he said questioningly. I shook my head, watching him from under my lashes. He gave me a stern look. "I just didn't want to deal with it yesterday. I don't even want to deal with it _now_," he said in a harassed tone. "Paul fuckin' Lahote. Believe that shit? It couldn't be Embry or something; no, it's gotta be my arch enemy, the hardest guy in the pack to get along with. And now he thinks he's family so he can just say and do whatever he wants. Didja hear that? He's calling me Alphie now." I watched Jake's hissy fit with a combination of chagrin and growing indignation. _Stop picking on Paul; he's a decent guy!_ I wanted to yell, but on the other hand, Jake didn't need any more crap than I was about to hand him.

"Come on, Jake." I tried to talk him down. "It's not like he's a bloodsucker, so he's not your arch enemy. And think of Rachel. Paul will take really good care of her. He'll settle down. He's just psyched because of the imprint. I don't think he'd be disrespectful in front of the pack."

"It's just another headache I don't really need," Jake said glumly. Oh _God_! Wait till he heard my news! He moved toward me, wrapping his arms around my waist. I automatically clutched him around the neck, my arms pulling him close as we looked into each other's eyes. "Now," he said, kissing my forehead. "What's up?"

My mouth was suddenly as dry as the Arizona desert. "Can we go for a walk?" I managed.

He shrugged. "Okay, let's go to the beach." He took my hand and led me across the muddy yard toward the wooded path that led to First Beach.

I was quiet on the way as he chattered on about Rachel and how she was back home in the tiny house that wasn't big enough for he and Billy, let alone a third person. I was contemplating how I was going to tell him the news that I was sure was going to break his heart and ruin the rest of our lives.

"So Billy likes it that she's here, but I was hoping she'd get a job somewhere and get out of the house. But now with this Paul thing…that's not happening. So now what? I guess I'm sleeping on the couch or something." He chuckled darkly. "Maybe I'll sleep as a wolf in the woods."

Abruptly, I was worried. I hadn't thought about the fact that he might actually…run. What if he couldn't take this? What if it was too much for his sixteen year old brain to accept, and he bolted? It would be damn near impossible to find him if he phased and ran as a wolf. Even if I was his imprint…what if he left me?

There was no way I'd survive that. I'd fallen into a hole with Edward when he'd left, and that had only been puppy love – even if I did think it was the real thing at the time. And look what had happened then! I'd been like a zombie, and Jake had been the only one who was able to pull me out of it. If he was gone…who would save me then?

I was stunned out of my thoughts as we finally reached the beach and he turned to me, holding both my hands in his. "What's got you so bugged, baby?" he asked.

I'd worked it out in my head, but I hadn't counted on the running factor. Quickly I re-thought what I was going to say, but I couldn't come up with anything. It was gonna have to be now, and I couldn't think of any other way. Carefully, I began.

"Remember what Sam was saying yesterday…about my cycle?" I was beyond mortified just saying the word.

"Yeah?" His eyebrows frowned as he cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Baby, that's what you're worried about? Aw, Bells, you're upset that we won't be able to do it as much? Don't worry, baby. Now that things are settled with school and the pack…" Here he leaned in and his lips touched my ear, whispering, "You won't be able to keep my hands away."

I wanted to die. He misunderstood. Jesus, did this _have_ to be so hard? Tears threatened to spill, but I couldn't cry. I'd been too much of a crybaby already. It was time to be a big girl, and own up. I shook my head. "No…no, Jake, not that," I said, looking down.

He put a knuckle under my chin and lifted my face so I was looking right at him. His face had changed, and in it I saw what I could only describe as stern fear. He swallowed once, his hands moving up to clutch my upper arms. "What are you saying then?" he asked, his voice catching.

I covered my face with my hands, sighing once into them. Then I moved my fingers away from my eyes, palms still to my cheeks. He unknowingly rescued me, saying, "Bella, are you telling me that you're pregnant?"

I blinked once and nodded, sniffling back the tears that wanted to drip.

I expected a hug, at least _some_ sort of caress or embrace, but he stepped away from me abruptly. I scanned him fearfully, taking one small step back myself as he shook his head from side to side and pressed the heel of his hand hard to his forehead, like he had a headache. "Mother_fuck_," he growled, quietly furious.

"I'm _sorry_!" I cried, my voice echoing off the cliffs. "I'm so, so sorry, Jake! I promise, I…"

The wolf's eyes looked at me from Jake's face. "Stop," he growled. "Just stop. And move back. Gimme a second."

I completely understood Jake's reaction. Mine had been less dramatic, but I knew just how he felt. That sinking feeling that your life as you knew it was over was a tough one to take. I couldn't blame him for his seismic response. But that didn't mean I wasn't scared. I regarded him warily.

He trembled, his hands fisted at his sides. He seemed almost short of breath as he said, "Look, Bella, this isn't your fault. Don't apologize. I just have to calm down here for a minute, okay?"

"Okay," I whispered. I waited, watching as he steadied himself. It took a lot longer than it usually did.

Generally, it only took a second for him to settle down - one deep breath and he'd be fine. But this was taking awhile. He kept breathing deep, trying to center himself. He swallowed several times. Finally, after some minutes, his fury seemed to be cooling. He glanced back at me, then away, and I was relieved to see that the wolf was gone. Jacob wouldn't run. He was focused on the cliffs in the distance. He didn't touch me or look at me as he said, "So you're sure, right?"

I hesitated a second. Where was my Jake? Where was the sweet guy who imprinted on me and wanted only the best for me? And who was this disagreeable stranger that had replaced him?

"I...I think so," I told him finally. "I mean, Paul said he saw a plus sign."

His head snapped back to look at me. "_What_ did you say?" he asked, his eyes flashing again. "Tell me you didn't tell _Paul_ already."

"Uh…" I was at a complete loss for words. "Well – I accidentally ran into Paul on my way to your place, and he hitched a ride, and…"

"And you decided that _he_ would be the best person for you to confide in?" he interrupted.

Okay, the tears were going to start. The last thing I needed right now was a lecture. I was upset enough without him getting angry at me! I could feel my face begin to crumple.

"Don't cry," he said sullenly, as if he was totally fed up with me. "Just tell me. Tell me why Paul, of all people, knew this before I did."

I shook my head, trying to will the tears back. "Okay, so last night…"

"Last _night_?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes! Last night!" I insisted. "After we talked about that stuff at lunch yesterday, it got me thinking, and last _night_…" I gave him a dirty look. "I went to the drug store and bought a test. But the test said to take it first thing in the morning, so after a _really crappy_ night…" I shot another snarky glance at him. "I took the test, but I didn't have the nerve to look at it. Paul could tell something was wrong, and he got it out of me. I gave him the test and told him to look at it and tell me what it said."

He was quiet for a moment. "Wait, _what_ was that?" he said. "You mean you haven't even seen it?"

"No," I said.

He started laughing. He laughed so hard he had to sit down on the sand. "Bella! Paul is probably fucking with you! He's such a dickhead – that's his idea of a joke."

Oh, I wanted to believe it. I really wanted to believe it so bad, but I knew it wasn't true. I was positive that Paul had been serious. He hadn't been in a joking mood, so I knew Jacob's relief was in error. I didn't want to burst his bubble, but I knew I had to. I reached into the pocket of my hoodie and handed him the test.

He was still chuckling as he took it from my hand. Smiling, he slid the plastic stick out of the box and looked down at it. The smile dissolved. "Fuckin' a," he spat sarcastically. "It _is_ a plus sign." He held it out for me to see, and I took it from him.

I still didn't want to look, but I did with trepidation. Yep, there it was, a faint blue plus sign. Shit, it was real. I couldn't help it this time. I started to cry.

My Jacob was suddenly back. "Aw, come on, baby. It'll be okay." He stood up and pulled me into his hot hug, smoothing his hand over the back of my hair. "Come on, honey. We'll be alright. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be such an asshole. You caught me by surprise, that's all. We'll be okay." He tried to soothe me, but sobs wracked my body. No, we _wouldn't _be okay. This was the kind of thing that fucked people up for years. A lifetime, even. Any reaction he had would've been understandable, and all the things he was saying now were sweet, but they were wrong. We wouldn't be okay. We had screwed up big time. There was no coming back from this.

He finally calmed me down enough that we could talk. We sat on our tree, his arm safely around my shoulders as we discussed the godawful details of our future.

"So how…um…far along are we?" he asked. His wording almost made the crying start again; how could one guy be so sweet? We…what a nice way to put it.

"I don't know," I answered glumly. "My last period was six weeks ago."

He was quiet for a minute. "I think we learned in Biology that they start counting from the last period. So I guess it's like, nine months from that, right?" He looked at me questioningly, his little-boy expression heartbreaking.

"I guess. That would make the baby due around…" I counted in my head, "December or something."

He sighed. "So that means we're like six weeks along, huh?"

I looked at him warily. "There's still time to take care of this," I said, despite what Paul had told me. "I could go to Port Angeles tomorrow."

He narrowed his eyes, and his pupils dilated. "I don't want to hear you say anything like that again, okay?" he said carefully. "I mean it. Don't even bring it up."

"You won't even discuss it?" I asked. "I mean, Jake, come on! You're _sixteen_! You want us to be like that MTV show?"

"Bella, I understand why you'd want to do that. But I just don't think we should. I mean, if we started something here, we should finish it. It's not the kid's fault that we were stupid."

He was right, dammit. "We're too young to have a baby, Jake! We're too young to decide what to do about being pregnant," I wailed.

"I know." He spoke in a defeated tone. "We should talk to some actual adults about it."

I snapped my head back to look at him. "I don't want to tell anyone!" I practically shouted.

"Then you shouldn't have told Paul. He probably blabbed it all over the rez by now."

"_What_?" I twisted around in his arms to stare straight at him, completely freaking out. "You're kidding, right? He wouldn't do that, would he?"

Jacob shrugged. "I'm sure he at least told Rachel. And she probably told Billy - who probably told Charlie. I'm guessing the cruiser will be at Billy's place by the time we get back."

"OhmyGod, no!" I cringed, hiding my face in the crook of his neck. "Do we have to go back? Let's run to Canada or something!" I was half-serious, half-on the verge of a full psychotic breakdown.

"I don't care how far we run, Bells. We're still gonna be pregnant wherever we land."

My shoulders dropped in defeat. He was right again. It was time to tell the grown-ups. I stood up wearily, pulling him with me. Silently we started back to Billy's.

As we came through the woods hand-in-hand, I could see that Jacob was right. The cruiser was parked in front of Billy's house, and I could hear angry shouting coming from inside. Jake quickened his steps, pulling me along. I wanted to be anywhere but where I was at that moment.

"They're babies themselves, Billy! Jesus Christ, Jacob's only sixteen!" Charlie's bellowing carried across the yard.

"It's not all Jacob's fault, Charlie. Bella…"

"Bella's always been naïve! She's a shy, sweet girl. Jacob took advantage of her!"

"Bella is eighteen years old, Charlie. She's no innocent. She went out with that Cullen boy for months! I'm sure Jake wasn't her first!" Billy's voice was no less strident.

Jake growled at this, bursting through the door into the Black's kitchen. I followed gloomily. This was going to suck.

"Watch what you're saying, old man!" Jacob shouted at Billy. Billy sat in his chair, red-faced and angry as Charlie stood over him, glaring. Paul and Rachel sat at the table, their eyes fixed on its surface. Paul looked up quickly and his eyes met mine. He shook his head once, then looked back down.

Charlie was so furious, he seemed ready to reach for his service weapon. His brown eyes blazed as he turned on Jake.

"You dumb little shit," Charlie said, craning his neck to look up at him. "Haven't you ever heard of birth control? And you," he yelled, turning to me. "Couldn't you keep your legs closed? What the hell were you thinking?"

"_Dad_! Calm down," I said, getting mad for the first time. "You're going to regret what you're saying if you don't!" I wasn't about to let Charlie disparage Jacob…or me, for that matter. Besides, I knew a little secret about Charlie that made his argument nothing but hypocrisy. "That's enough of the mudslinging. We have a problem here and we need a solution, not two hotheads duking it out!"

"Thank you, Bella," Rachel said quietly.

Charlie's face was purple, and I seriously thought he was about to blow a gasket. "Dad, come on. Seriously, calm down. We already know we're stupid and that we were irresponsible idiots. We don't need you to tell us. But we do need some help here. We need you to help us figure out what to do."

"Well, that'sobvious," Billy said. "You're going to get rid of it." Four furious pairs of eyes turned to him. I looked down at the floor, still completely torn on the issue.

"She is_ not_ getting rid of it," Jake said, and there was no question that he was serious. Since he was the biggest and strongest one there, I figured he'd probably get his way. Charlie, of all people, backed him up.

"No, you're damn right she's not," he agreed testily.

"You can't be thinking you'll actually _have_ this kid?" Billy asked incredulously.

"Dad, this isn't your decision," Rachel said quietly. Billy sat fuming in his chair.

"Is this for sure? Are we one hundred percent positive that you're pregnant, Bella?" Charlie demanded.

I seriously felt like puking at that moment, but instead I said, "Well, I took a test that I bought at the store."

"And it was positive?" asked Billy. Everyone looked at him like he had three heads.

"Yes," I said.

"Bella," Rachel said, speaking to me as if no one else were in the room. "What kind was it? I mean, was it digital, or just the regular kind?"

"Regular," I answered. "Why?"

"And do you know how…far along you are?" she asked, faltering a little from embarrassment.

"Six weeks," I answered, hoping a hole would open up beneath me and my misery would come to an end.

Rachel turned to Paul. "We need to go to the store," she said.

"Okay," Paul answered, not a question in his voice.

"What for?" asked Jacob suspiciously.

"Because we need to buy a digital test. Paul told me what happened, how Bella didn't read the test right away. It was a while before you actually had Paul look at it, right, Bella?"

"I don't know, an hour at the most," I said in confusion.

"And you didn't look at it at all before that, right?"

"No," I said. "Why?"

"My college roommate did that once. Well, she looked at it after the three minute mark, and it was negative. Then later, her boyfriend was over and he saw it in the trash and just about had a heart attack. It was positive."

"_What_?" I huffed, relief flowing through me like lava.

"Yeah, you have to read them right away. My roommate definitely _wasn't_ pregnant, but the test read positive after sitting there awhile. Paul and I will go to the store and get you a digital test, and then we'll know for sure."

"Take her truck," Jake said, his arm going around my shoulders. I was glad for the support. I might have melted into the cracked linoleum if it weren't for him holding me up. I felt a ray of hope for the first time that morning. Maybe it had only been a scare! _Oh, God, please let it only be a scare!_

Rachel and Paul left after Charlie handed them some money, and we were suddenly alone with our dads. I knew we were in for a lecture. Jake pulled out a chair at the table and sat me down in it, then minutes passed as he made me a cup of hot tea without even asking. I sipped it gratefully as he sat next to me, his arm protectively draped across the back of my chair. Charlie sat down, too.

It was like a Mexican standoff between the three of them. I almost expected to hear whistles like an old spaghetti western. Charlie's eyes flicked from Jake to Billy and back again. Billy's onyx eyes glittered as he looked from Charlie to Jake. And Jake squinted at both of them, equally angry at each. Then all three spoke at once.

"You must think I'm a damn fool…"

"How could you say those things about Bella…"

"What the hell were you kids thinking…"

I ignored them. Let the testosterone fuel their ridiculous argument. I sipped my tea quietly, letting its warmth seep through me like a hot bath. I silently prayed that God would allow me one more chance. I promised I'd never have unprotected sex again if only…

My thoughts were interrupted by the roar of my truck. They must have found a digital test at the rez store, because there was no way they'd gotten from here to Forks and back again already. Rachel was through the door first, followed closely by Paul. He handed me a little brown paper bag.

"Do it right now," Rachel said, holding up crossed fingers. I went to the bathroom, peed on the stick for the second time that day, and returned with the gray plastic strip in my hand. After a minute or two, it beeped. I held it out to Jake.

"I can't look," I said. He took it from me.

I heard a whoop, and it was taken up by everyone in the room. Jake had a grin a mile wide and he hugged me close. "Not pregnant," he said, the laughter in his voice bubbling over.

"Bella, pay attention," Charlie said. He was the only one that wasn't celebrating. Paul slapped Jake on the back like he'd just won the lottery. "You kids have got to be responsible if you're going to be doing adult activities."

I groaned. "Come on, Dad," I said. "We know we were stupid, like I said."

"We _all_ know you were stupid," Charlie agreed peevishly. "What remains to be seen is if you can learn from this. You think you're adults and that you're in love. Great, good for you. But if you're adults, then you deal with adult consequences. You understand? It's great that you're not pregnant; now you need to get yourself on the pill or something so this doesn't happen again. You understand me? You're technically the adult here, and ultimately it's your body, so you're the one who needs to take the initiative. I can't blame Jacob. He's only a _boy_." He said it like an insult, sneering at Jake derisively, but Jake's smile didn't break. "So I expect you to be the responsible one, you understand me?"

Charlie was right. We were playing with fire, and we hadn't even thought about it. How stupid can you get?

I looked at Jake. "Tomorrow," I said. "We're going to see Dr. Gerandy tomorrow."

"Sure, sure," Jake grinned. "It's a date."

Charlie pointed his finger at Jake. "You'd best watch yourself, young man. I've got my eye on you and if you step just one speck out of line, I'll be on you like stink on shit."

Jake's smile finally faltered. "Yes, sir," he said, his face serious. Billy rolled his eyes with a laugh.

"You deserve whatever you get, boy," he said, still chuckling.


	25. Chapter 25

**Here it is, for all of you who are wondering just WHAT excitement can possibly happen after Bella isn't pregnant. Gimme a little credit, you guys! There's lots more fun to be had! I'm not done with this story until a couple more lemons show their tart little faces-tho no real ones in this chapter - sorry. Soooo...**

**Thank yous to everyone reviewing, favoriting, following, etc. I absolutely love to hear from you. And a special, Christmas-wrapped with a big red bow THANK YOU to Kissa for her unparalleled pre-reading skillz. Yeah, skillz. Thanks, Kissa!**

**Anything you recognize isn't mine, though I wish Jake was - mine, living in my house, sleeping in my bed...but I digress. Happy reading!**

CHAPTER 25

Jake took me to Dr. Gerandy's office the next day after school. I'd called and made an appointment that morning after excusing myself from Study Hall. I knew this visit would be far from pleasant, but it was something that had to be done. Jake waited with me in the waiting room.

"Doesn't Lee-hana have anything for this?" I grumbled, nervous about the appointment as we sat in the uncomfortable vinyl chairs in Dr. Gerandy's waiting room.

"Even if she did, I'm not sure I'd let you go that route," Jacob told me. "It would probably involve you climbing a tree or something."

"Well, it would be effective – I could shoo you down whenever you got too close," I said, managing a little smile.

He laughed, pulling me close. "What'sa matter honey? You nervous?" he asked.

"This isn't a fun doctor visit, Jacob," I said. "Does the term 'stirrups' mean anything to you?"

"You mean like a horse?" he asked innocently.

I rolled my eyes to the ceiling. "No, not like a horse," I said patiently. "It has to do with the…position I'll be in for the exam." I made a face.

"You want me to go in with you?" he asked. I was horrified at first – I certainly didn't want him to see me like that! But then, after thinking about it for a second, I knew that I did want him there. He was always so considerate and loving when I was distressed. And…well, we'd been together in the most intimate ways. I couldn't really think of a good reason why he _shouldn't_ be there. Nothing he saw in that doctor's examining room would change his feelings for me. I knew that. If he hadn't bolted when I'd told him I was pregnant, I knew he wouldn't leave just because he saw me in a compromising position in the doctor's office.

"Okay," I said in a small voice, and he nodded, pulling me closer.

A nurse clad in baby blue scrubs came through the door from the exam rooms holding a manila folder. "Isabella?" she said, looking around the room. We stood up, and Jake grabbed my hand. The nurse gave me a weird look. "You want him to come back with you?" she asked as if Jake weren't there.

"Yes," I said decisively. I knew if I was assertive enough, they'd let me have my way. I'd learned that back when I was in the hospital after the James episode.

"Okay," she shrugged. We followed her to the exam room, stopping on the way to get my weight. She closed the door and indicated that I should sit on the paper-covered table. The stirrups glared at me menacingly from the bottom corners of the table. The nurse opened the chart and scanned the contents, then looked up with a pleasant look. "You're here for birth control pills?" she asked.

I nodded. Jake, standing awkwardly next to me, continued to hold my hand. The nurse glanced down at our joined hands, and then looked back up to me. "Good idea, sweetie," she said. "We're just going to get a quick set of vitals, and then Dr. Gerandy will be in."

"Okay," I said. She quickly performed the preliminaries, and left me with a paper gown and a paper half-sheet.

"Everything off, and put this on with the opening in the front," she said efficiently. "Put the sheet over your lap when you're done."

Jake's face was beet red as the nurse left the room, pulling the door closed behind her. I undressed quickly, folding my clothes carefully and putting my underwear on the bottom so the doctor wouldn't see it. I piled them on the chair where I assumed Jake was supposed to sit. He didn't seem like he wanted to sit down, though. He was silent as I took my clothes off and put on the gown, settling myself with copious amounts of paper-crackling on the end of the table.

When I was seated, he finally met my eyes. He grabbed my hand again, and its warmth calmed me somewhat. "You okay, honey?" he asked, concern dripping from every word.

I smiled at him, though I wasn't exactly okay. "I'm fine," I told him. There was a cursory knock at the door and without waiting for an answer, the nurse and Dr. Gerandy entered the room.

"Well, Miss Swan. I'm glad we're seeing each other under better circumstances than our last meeting," Dr. Gerandy greeted me. I wasn't sure what he was talking about at first, but then I vaguely remembered that he'd been the one who had diagnosed my catatonic state when Edward had left me.

"You understand I'll be performing a full exam," Dr. Gerandy said carefully. "Are you sure you want your…friend to stay here in the room?"

Jake grabbed my hand possessively. "Bella wants me here," he said.

Dr. Gerandy looked at him over his half-moon glasses. "I appreciate that, young man, but I'd like to hear her say it," he said.

"I want him to stay," I said, squeezing his hand.

"Okay," the doctor said, and began the exam. First he felt my neck, then looked in my eyes, throat and ears. He asked questions as he worked, testing my reflexes and finally having me lie back on the table. He felt around my stomach, then told me he had to do a breast exam. Jake looked away as the doctor did that part of the assessment. Then Dr. Gerandy said, "Bella, I need you to slide down on the table."

Ugh, here we go. This was the part I'd been dreading. Why didn't anyone ever tell you about this part? I bent my knees up and scooted down the table with a look of disgust on my face. The nurse helped guide my feet into the stirrups. My knees were welded together as the doctor sat on a stool at the end of the bed. I kept the sheet pressed against my thighs.

Jake stood at the head of the bed silently. I looked up at him to be sure he was doing okay. His face was so red it looked like he'd gotten into his sister's makeup drawer. "Jake, it's fine," I said as the doctor continued his work.

"You'll feel a little pressure," Dr. Gerandy announced as he slid something in. Okay, whatever that instrument was, its size was nothing compared to Jake's. I felt some tiny cramps, but nothing that was exactly painful.

"God, Bells, I'm so sorry you have to go through this," Jake blurted.

The nurse smiled at Jake.

Dr. Gerandy's exam was over quickly, and he helped me to sit back up. The nurse rolled a metal cart away and concentrated on cleaning up the area and packaging the sample for testing. The doctor remained seated and focused first on our still-clenched hands, then on our faces.

"I'm glad you've made the choice to be responsible, Bella," he began, looking back down at my chart and writing something down. "What is the date of your last period?"

I told him, and he looked up from his writing, surprised. "That's about six weeks ago, isn't it? Did you have a pregnancy scare?" he asked.

I glanced at Jake, who was watching the doctor. "Yes," I admitted.

"It's not unusual for a woman to have a late period or miss a period if she's under a lot of stress," the doctor said. Stress? Oh, no, there wasn't any stress! Unless you counted several instances with murderous vampires and a supernatural imprint, nothing much had been going on at all! I rolled my eyes at Jake.

"Yeah, there's been some stress," I admitted.

"Well, if you've been pressuring her in any way, young man," he said, directing himself to Jake, "that can cause stress."

"Jacob would never pressure me, Dr. Gerandy," I said testily. I didn't come here for a lecture. "That's not it at all."

"Do you mind telling me what has you so stressed?" Dr. Gerandy asked.

Jake and I looked at each other, our faces twitching with twin secret smiles. I burst out laughing. "No, Dr. Gerandy, I don't think it's something I want to talk about," I giggled.

Dr. Gerandy made a face. "Well, I have written a prescription for birth control pills for you, Bella. You must use an alternative form of birth control for one month until the first set of pills is gone, and then you will be able to rely on the pills. I suggest you take the pills at the same time each day. Many women find that they have fewer symptoms if they take the pill at night before bed. Do you understand?"

I nodded. The doctor and nurse left the room so I could get dressed, and when they were gone, Jake exploded in laughter. "What's the matter, Bells? Didn't you want to tell the good doctor about all your stress?" he chortled.

I shoved my elbow into his side, laughing as well. "Shut up," I told him. "Very funny. That sucks about having to wait a whole month, though."

"It'll be fine." I was now dressed, and he pulled me close. "I'm really sorry you had to go through that whole embarrassing thing all because of me, honey. I feel terrible."

"You do? Why?" I asked, mystified.

"Well, it didn't look very comfortable and it had to be embarrassing. Did it hurt?"

"No, it was nothing," I said dismissively.

"It wasn't nothing. And I'm really sorry. It's not fair that the girl has to go through all that stuff. I mean it, Bells, I'd've done it if I could've."

This made me laugh again, picturing Jake in stirrups. I reached up to kiss him. "Let's go. We can practice having sex without any actual…" I leaned in to his ear and whispered, "Penetration."

He pulled back and looked at me with smoldering eyes. "Oh, Swan, you are so on," he said.

But he was wrong. We were both wrong. Because Charlie hadn't forgotten the scare. And he was true to his word, for a while anyway. For about a month after the false alarm, Charlie breathed down our necks like the lawman he was. I gained a new respect for him and his prowess as a police officer. No matter where we ended up, Charlie wasn't far away.

When we walked out of the doctor's office, the cruiser was parked in the lot right next to the Rabbit. He followed us to the house by way of the pharmacy, and read us the riot act when we arrived at home. "You're under house restriction! You're not allowed to see him unless I'm in the house, do you understand me? I don't trust Billy, so you're not allowed to see him over there either. You can only see this joker if I'm _on the premises_, get it?" he said, pointing his finger at me, Jake, and even the floor at times. He talked about Jake like he wasn't there. After about twenty minutes of lecturing along the same general lines, Jacob decided to go home.

Thereafter, during the school week, Charlie made sure he was home immediately after his shift, and he wouldn't let Jacob come over until after he was there. It made the link ache abominably. Jake and I would go hours before we could actually see each other, touch each other, exchange a kiss or a look. So we texted each other furiously, and we spent every second we could together, once Charlie was home. The weekends were a boring conglomeration of watching baseball games on TV, since Charlie wouldn't let us out of his sight. He grew testy, barred as he was from fishing all day.

Being around Charlie all the time sucked too. He watched us like a hawk, overseeing our every move. We had absolutely no privacy at all. Charlie scrutinized every action. If Jake held my hand , Charlie scowled. If he put his arm around me, Charlie pouted. And God forbid we'd actually kiss – chastely, of course, on the cheek. At that Charlie would have a full-blown shit fit, complete with a new lecture about the perils of teenage pregnancy.

I thought he was overdoing it when I came out of class one Monday morning to walk across campus to the cafeteria and saw him in the parking lot, driving lights on, sitting in the cruiser in full cop regalia. The glower on his face was enough to peel paint. I flounced over to the car, prepared to admonish him for coming here when it was completely unnecessary.

"Dad!" I said, my face reddening from anger instead of embarrassment for once. "What are you _doing_ here? You're embarrassing me!"

"Don't make assumptions, Bella." He squinted into the trees. I followed his line of sight and saw Paul slinking back into the forest. What was he doing here?

"What's going on?" I asked, completely confused now.

"Your _boy_friend cooked up a little escape for the two of you this morning. I'm here to make sure it doesn't happen," Charlie said tersely.

I looked down for a second and checked the text message I'd gotten in the previous class. We'd been taking a test and I hadn't pulled my phone out, worried that I'd get caught. I remembered now that I'd forgotten to check it when the bell rang. Sure enough, there was a text from Jake. _Check the woods be4 lunch – u might find a surprise!_

Great.

"See you at dinner, Dad," I said glumly, turning away.

"I'll be watching, Bella," he answered as I made my way to the school. Stomping back to the building, I wondered how in the world Charlie had known. He must have had a spy in La Push; it was the only explanation. I couldn't believe he'd go to such lengths to catch us in the act.

I called Jacob on my way home that day. "I saw Charlie at lunch today," I informed him when he picked up.

"I know, bad idea," he said in a depressed tone. "It was just a thought."

"What exactly was your thought? And how did Charlie find out?"

"I'm still trying to figure that one out myself," he said. "Paul only had a half day today 'cause of some anti-gang seminar he was supposed to go to for one of his classes. So we thought maybe he could pick you up and bring you here. No one is home at Paul's house during the day. I was gonna take you there. I lent him my bike and he was supposed to hide out in the woods by your school, then bring you out to La Push. Sorry it didn't work out."

"I wonder how Charlie found out. That guy is more skilled than the FBI!" I felt a grudging pride for my dad, the small-town cop who nevertheless had a sixth sense when it came to danger.

"Yeah, he should be up for some kind of award," Jacob said with sarcastic moodiness.

I was touched by his clandestine planning. He'd risk life and limb, or worse, an angry cop dad, just to see me without a chaperone.

"He's just trying to protect us," I said, half-heartedly defending him.

"I know, but I'm going crazy here, Bells! It's been, what – like three weeks? Something's gotta give." He sounded desperate. I tried changing the subject.

"The question is, how did Charlie find out?" I asked again, attempting a diversion.

"He's gotta have someone on the inside," Jake said urgently. I dissolved in giggles.

"Jacob!" I laughed. "You sound like you're trying to figure out a bank heist!"

"Ugh…don't giggle like that," Jake said, his voice strained. "You make me miss you more."

I knew _I'd_ been going insane because we couldn't be together, but I hadn't realized how much the separation was affecting Jacob. Maybe we could think of something.

"I'm sorry, Jake," I said, dropping the laughter. "Let's think of a plan. Maybe we'll be able to sneak out this weekend." Trying during the week was completely out of the question; Charlie wouldn't let us out of his sight on weeknights.

"And how is that gonna work?" Jake asked tartly. "He follows us everywhere. He's like a bad penny – he keeps turning up."

"I don't know, but think about it. We can come up with something. You're coming over later?"

"Duh, like I can stand being away from you for a day. I'll see you after dinner."

Now that we had something to occupy us, we were far from bored. Our text messages had a whole new meaning. We gathered information on sneaking out from everyone we knew. Of course, the guys on the rez had the most ideas.

"Tell her to take the SIM card out of her phone if she gets caught," Paul told him. "That way, Charlie can't pin her down. And whatever you do, don't change your routine that day. Tell her not to go to bed too early or anything. That could tip him off."

"If she gets caught in the yard or something after she gets out, have her tell Charlie she had to get something out of her car that she forgot for homework," Jared volunteered. "And make sure your shoes aren't wet. Nothing gives you away like wet shoes."

Embry was great at sneaking out. His mom wasn't in on the wolf secret, so he'd had lots of practice. "Make sure you take your ride. My mom's been known to put an old watch under the tires of my car. Then when I back out, she knows exactly what time I left, because the watch gets smashed and won't run. I wouldn't put it past ol' Chief Swan," he said. "And most importantly, deny, deny, deny. Never admit you were out."

Even Kim sent me a text: _Go 2 the bathroom in the middle of the nite. Flush then sneak out the window. Hides the noise & no 1 xpex u 2 go out the bathroom window!_

Ideas came in all week, even from some of my friends. Jess told me to sneak out in my pajamas and hide a set of clothes outside so he wouldn't catch me leaving fully dressed. Eric said to make sure the overhead lights in the car were turned off beforehand, just in case Charlie was looking out the window. Mike suggested somehow breaking the light to the street lamp the afternoon we had the escape planned, so there wouldn't be time for Charlie to report it and get it fixed before we made our getaway. Tyler told me to take the screen out of whatever window I'd be using during the day, so I wouldn't be delayed or make extra noise on the night of the escape.

I marveled at my friends' innovations. Somehow I'd missed the class on sneaking out of the house without your parents' knowledge. I felt like such an innocent. Jake was more well-versed than I was too. For an eighteen year old girl, I'd really missed the boat on this one.

We were sure we had everything well planned. On Friday after school and before Charlie was home, I drove to my house. I was glad to see it was raining. It would mean that no one would be outside while I was trying to break the streetlight adjacent to Charlie's back yard. Most of the neighbors were at work anyway, but I still didn't want anyone to see. After putting a pair of jeans, a sweater and a bra under the grill cover to keep them dry, I stood at the edge of the woods and lobbed rocks at the streetlight until I actually hit it. It shattered in a shower of glass and plastic, which I immediately cleaned up as thoroughly as I could. Collecting the rocks and tossing them back into the forest, I quickly reassured myself that no one had seen, and stashed the remnants of the light in a garbage bag in the woods. I'd bring it with me tonight and toss it in a Dumpster on my way to La Push with Jake, as long as everything went as planned.

I called Jake as soon as I'd accomplished the first task on our list. "I can't believe I just did this, Jake," I said. "The light in front of our house is broken."

"I knew you could do it," Jake said. "I already disconnected the wire for the dome light on the Rabbit."

"Okay, so the lights are taken care of," I said. "What next?"

"Take the screen off the bathroom window," Jake reminded me. "Make sure you put it someplace where Charlie won't see it."

"Okay, talk to me while I do it," I said, going inside and up the stairs. As I swiftly raised the window in the bathroom and unlatched the screen from its track, Jake questioned once again the wisdom of our idea. "You know I don't like going against Charlie's rules," he said for the umpteenth time. I sighed in exasperation.

"Ja-_cob_!" I wailed. "Do you want to have some private time with me or not?"

"Of course, but Bella…"

I cut him off. "Then stop with the goody-two-shoes bit. Your principles are getting in the way of our sex life."

"_Charlie _is getting in the way of our sex life," he mumbled, but he dropped the subject.

The screen was filthy, and when I turned it to carefully slide it back in through the window, oily black dust fell into the tub.

"Yuck! This thing is disgusting," I said to Jake, the phone cradled between my ear and shoulder. A spider skittered across my hand, and I squealed and dropped the screen into the tub with a clatter. Gritty dirt peppered the porcelain surface.

"What was that?" Jake asked. "Did you drop it?"

"Yeah. A spider crawled over my hand," I said with a shudder, squashing it under my shoe. "I'm gonna have to clean the tub."

Jacob was silent for a second. "Start dinner first and stow that screen. Then clean the tub."

He was right. Taking the screen with me after checking it for any more spiders, I went outside and left it in the bushes under the bathroom window. I remembered to bend one of the latches so if Charlie found it, he might actually believe it had fallen out on its own. I tried to arrange it in a natural position, as if it had fallen into the shrubs. Then I went in and finished making dinner.

I'd begun earlier in the day, after Charlie left for work but before I left for school. The ground beef was already browned and the onions sautéed for the taco casserole I was making. I finished it up and spooned it into a dish, turning on the oven to bake it. I remembered to cover the casserole with crushed tortilla chips - it was Charlie's favorite part.

Back to the bathroom to clean the bathtub. When I walked in, I looked around skeptically. Something was off. Why did the bathroom look different? Then I realized; the screen was gone, so the window looked less grimy.

Shit! How did one go about dirtying up a window? I called Jake back, frantic.

"He won't notice, Bells," Jacob said with an almost audible eyeroll.

"He will, Jake! He's a cop. He notices things."

Jacob mulled it over. "Can you shut the shower curtain?" he asked.

"I don't know, it seems suspicious. He might look to see if you're in there."

"Yeah, but it'll be dark by then. He won't notice the screen."

"I guess," I agreed dejectedly. Why didn't we think of this before? Of course the screen being gone was going to change the look of the room. My only hope was that it would stay gloomy outside and get dark a little early. Actually, rain would be helpful. He'd never think I'd sneak out in a downpour.

I quickly scrubbed down the tub, then decided to take a quick shower. Shaving my legs seemed like a good idea too, since if all went well, odds were good that Jacob and I would be naked together later. The thought brought a smile of anticipation to my face. I shaved my legs and washed my hair, remembering our naughty little shower together at Emily's as I slathered on conditioner. Only a matter of time, I promised myself.

When I was finishing up in the bathroom, I heard the cruiser pull up in front of the house, followed shortly thereafter by the Rabbit. Pulling on my jeans and a tee shirt, I descended the stairs to see Charlie and Jake sitting awkwardly in the family room, watching a sports recap. It was obvious nothing had been said between the two of them.

"Hi, Dad, hi, Jake," I said. "Dinner'll be ready in a few."

"Who invited _him_?" asked Charlie rudely.

"Dad!" I said, chagrined. "This has got to stop. It's been going on too long."

Charlie looked at me innocently. "It's a legitimate question," he said, his expression angelic. "Who invited him?" The question sounded completely different this time, and I narrowed my eyes at him with a tilt of my head.

"Who do you think?" I said with a sigh, going to the kitchen to remove the casserole from the oven. I threw a quick salad together and set the table with a lot of banging and slamming. "Dinner!" I yelled too loudly when everything was ready.

Jacob followed Charlie in, and looked at me significantly. His expression told me to tone it down, so I did. We sat and spooned the casserole onto our plates. Well, Charlie and I did; Jake _piled_ the food on his plate. Charlie was typically silent, like he always was at dinner, so I resorted to talking to Jake.

"How's things on the rez?" I asked him pointedly, hoping for some news of Billy that would make Charlie sick of staying home with me all the time.

Jake took the bait. "Good," he said around a mouthful of casserole. "Billy and Old Quil are getting together to watch the Mariners game tonight."

"Probably be rained out," Charlie mumbled. We both turned to stare at him. He hadn't spoken directly to Jacob since our false alarm a month ago.

"Uh…they're on the road," Jacob said carefully.

"Huh. Really? Guess I've got too much on my mind." Charlie looked right at Jacob, who stared back like a deer in the headlights.

"Game starts early," Jacob said tentatively. "They're in Colorado."

"That's right! Well, come on, let's eat!"

I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe Charlie was relenting.

They finished dinner quickly and left me to clean up, which I would have done anyway. I heard them talking in the family room - nothing earthshattering, but at least there was conversation. After the kitchen was clean, I went in to join them.

While I would normally read a book while they watched TV, tonight I was way too revved up to concentrate. But I remembered Paul's admonition to stick with routine, so I dutifully turned the pages of _Gone with the Wind_, the latest classic in my collection. I couldn't do it justice, but it served the purpose of keeping my hands busy.

Ten o'clock came slowly. It seemed that every tick of the clock took twice as long as usual. I tried not to fidget, but it was almost impossible. Finally I resorted to yawning, if only to make Charlie believe I was ready for bed.

If he noticed, he didn't comment. Instead Jacob stretched out his long legs with a yawn of his own. The game had ended, and the post game show was just beginning. "I should probably get going, Bells," he said, putting an arm around me.

"Can I walk him out?" I asked Charlie, like I did every night. So far, he'd always said no and we'd had to perform a chaste goodnight kiss at the door with Charlie right in the same room. To my surprise, Charlie agreed.

"Go ahead, it's pouring rain anyway," he grinned.

We all but ran to the door. A real kiss, for the first time in a month! I hadn't had a real kiss in so long!

We walked to his car hand-in-hand, taking our time despite the rain. It was really only a heavy drizzle now, though it still soaked through my shirt. The yard was pitch-black due to my handiwork with the light earlier.

"All systems are go, right?" Jake asked, his eyes snapping with excitement.

"Yeah, should we synchronize our watches?" I asked jokingly. He chuckled, drawing me closer and putting his arms around my waist. He took the opportunity to rub his pelvis up against me, causing an enraptured sigh to escape. "God, baby, I _can't wait_," he said, leaning down and touching his lips to mine.

Maybe it was because it had been so long. Maybe it was just the fact that this was such a crazy, romantic plan we had going. Or maybe it was because it was Jake. But the kiss – just the kiss – made me weak in the knees. His warm breath washed over my face, his mouth hungrily devouring mine. After only a few seconds, his tongue snaked into my mouth, licking through my lips and swirling enticingly. I remembered that tongue on other places on my body, and my hands automatically fisted into his black hair, pulling his face closer to mine. He reached behind his head and pulled them away. "Save it for later," he breathed. _God!_ How could one guy be so incredibly sexy?

When I opened my eyes and looked up at him, I saw he was grinning, and I smiled back. His hair, which he was growing out as promised, was shaggy and disheveled, wet from the rain. It was already down to his chin, and looked completely amazing, only adding to his allure. "Okay, so I'll be back around 11:30. Text me if that's not gonna work," he said. One more tiny kiss on my forehead, and he was gone.

I made my way back inside, mentally checking through my list of tactics. The light was broken, my clothes hidden outside, the screen removed. It suddenly occurred to me that I hadn't remembered to hide shoes outside in case mine got wet, which was a sure thing in this weather. Then I recalled that there was a pair of sneakers I rarely wore in my truck. I took them out and put them under the truck. This way, I wouldn't have to open the door later, possibly alerting Charlie with the dome light, and the shoes wouldn't get wet either.

I went inside and flopped down on the couch. It had become a habit to sit with Charlie for a few minutes after Jake left. "Everything going okay?" he asked. "How's school?"

"Pretty good," I answered. "Finals start in two weeks, but I only have to take one."

"Things going okay with you and Jake?" he asked casually.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. Was he serious? Since when did he care about the relationship between Jake and I? "Uh, not especially," I answered uncertainly.

He looked at me quickly. "What do you mean?" he asked, alarmed.

"Well, this whole grounding thing kind of sucks, Dad," I said. Maybe if I milked the relationship situation, he'd give in and let us see each other legitimately instead of sneaking around behind his back. "I don't know if Jake is gonna stick around much longer."

"Some boyfriend he turned out to be," Charlie said sarcastically. "Takes your virginity and then leaves you as soon as the going gets tough?"

"He hasn't left me," I pointed out sourly. "I'm just saying – he's a red-blooded American teenage boy. What do you expect? He hasn't even hinted at leaving, Dad. But it scares me. Even couples who have been married for a long time get testy when they don't have any... private time." I hated talking to Charlie about personal stuff, but the fact that he was practically forcing us to sneak around had me bugged. It went against Jacob's sweet nature as well as his loyalty to Charlie, and that couldn't be tolerated, at least not by me. My dad's heavy-handed rules were nearly forcing us to go behind his back. It wasn't right. It wasn't even fair. I was an adult!

Charlie sighed without meeting my gaze. "Maybe you're right," he shrugged. "Let me sleep on it."

I got up from the couch and planted a tiny kiss on my dad's head. I knew Charlie was only trying to keep me safe. But it was like endeavoring to protect me from a ferocious kitten - there was really no danger with Jake. "You do that. See you in the morning," I said.

"Good night, Bells," he answered, reaching back to pat my arm as I turned away.

I smiled a secret smile. Hopefully I'd thrown him off the scent. Maybe he'd be too preoccupied with my complaint to keep tabs on my movements tonight. I walked up the stairs slowly and got ready for bed, adrenaline making my hands shaky the entire time. The bathroom looked the same as usual to me since it was now dark outside, and I left the shower curtain open. Pulling the door to my room shut, I turned off the light and began texting Jake under the covers.

_Okay, I'm waiting 4 Charlie to go to bed – so far so good!_

He didn't text me back right away, so of course I got worried. But then the phone vibrated. _Awesome. Can't WAIT! Txt me when he's down, ok?_

_Yep._

It wasn't long before I heard Charlie's tread on the stairs. He came up slowly, the same as usual, while I waited, holding my breath, He looked in on me as usual, but the door closed almost immediately. He was satisfied that I was in for the night. I waited silently for him to go to bed and fall asleep. He shuffled around in his room for awhile, then everything went quiet. I listened for what seemed like an hour but was probably only about fifteen minutes, then got out of bed and crept silently to his door carrying my shoes. Deep breathing and snores emanated from under the door, so I knew I was safe. Quickly, I texted Jake.

_He's asleep._

_Already on my way-c u in 10._

Okay, I had ten minutes. Jake was going to text me as soon as he pulled up, then I'd make my escape. I went back to my room, sliding silently through the open door, and waited until I got the text that he was here. The plan was for him to bring a small ladder to put under the bathroom window and help me out so I wouldn't have to jump far. My heart pounded as I made my noiseless way down the hall and carefully raised the window. After it was fully open, I tossed my shoes out and quickly flushed, then hoisted myself up over the sill. Jake stood in the bushes beneath the window, leaning up toward me on a step-ladder.

"Shh!" he hissed. I grunted my unladylike way out the window and he caught me like he'd been doing it all his life. His arms wrapped around my knees as I turned to slide the window shut, and he carefully lowered me to the ground. He beckoned me silently to follow him as he folded the ladder and shoved it behind the bushes. We ran to the backyard, our hands intertwined.

"Where's your stuff?" he asked, appraising me appreciatively with his eyes.

"Under the grill cover. And stop staring!" I whispered with a smile. Yeah, it was chilly out. My nipples were letting him know.

We retrieved the clothes and I led the way toward the woods, where we picked up the trash bag filled with streetlight parts. I didn't bother to get my clean shoes, because I'd put those on later, on my way back in.

It was all we could do not to giggle hysterically like little girls. The combination of adrenaline and excitement had made us giddy, and we kept shushing each other as we made our way back to the Rabbit. We slid in as quietly as possible, and Jake literally pushed the car down the street a few houses so he wouldn't have to start it right in front of my house. Then he got in, closed the door lightly, and fired it up.

The engine sounded incredibly loud to us, but I knew Jake's Rabbit was no louder than any other car on the street and considerably quieter than my truck, so we allowed ourselves a few hoots and hollers as we pulled off my street and onto the thoroughfare.

"Worked like a charm!" exclaimed Jake as we pulled away from Forks on the main highway to La Push.

"Yeah, and the great thing is that since he hasn't been fishing, Charlie's been sleeping in on Saturdays. If we get back to my place around 5, he'll still be sound asleep!"

"So…whaddya wanna do for five hours?" He tossed a sidelong glance at me.

"I think you know _just _what I wanna do, Black," I answered with a naughty grin.


	26. Chapter 26

**Yes, I'm still alive. Sorry it's taken me so long to update - I had a little bout of writer's block. But I hope it was worth the wait. To refresh your memory, Bella has just snuck out of Charlie's house. They were getting sick of Charlie constantly chaperoning them to guard Bella against any more pregnancy scares. Let's see what they're up to...**

**Thanks to everyone who's reviewed. I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to all of you - I do try to answer each and every review, but I am WAY behind. But I thank you and I appreciate it - and to all of you who have followed my story and me and favorited**** my story and me - I love you all! ****  
**

**And big news for me - I GOT A ROYALTY CHECK TODAY FOR WORDS THAT I ACTUALLY WROTE! SO I'M A PUBLISHED, PROFESSIONAL WRITER AND YOU ARE ALL HERE TO SHARE THE AMAZING NEWS WITH ME! Hurray!**

**Remember, anything you recognize isn't mine.**

CHAPTER 26

We drove to the reservation and directly to Jacob's house. "Isn't Billy home?" I asked.

"He's home. I have something else planned," he said, grinning as he pulled around toward the shed.

There was no way I was going to do anything in the _shed_. He had to know that! I mean, I was desperate and everything, but I wasn't exactly hard-up.

But sure enough, he got out of the car and opened the door of the shed. There was a warm glow coming from inside…so I thought I'd at least give it a look. He stood in front of the shed, grandly sweeping his arm in a gesture of welcome. I walked ahead of him in to the shed.

Or _was_ it the shed? I turned back to look at him, just to be sure I was in the right place. He had an irresistible expression of anticipation, his eyes alight and his grin all but bursting off his face. "Well?" he said, raising his eyebrows in question.

It sure didn't look like the shed I knew, the one in which we'd spent the bulk of the spring repairing the bikes and talking over life in general. There was a threadbare carpet on the floor and arranged on it was a faded but clean futon with furry looking fleece blankets across the back. Two huge pillows dominated one end. In front of the futon there was a makeshift coffee table fashioned out of a large wooden crate and what looked like a large, paned window as the top. The individual squares of the window panes held two lit, scented candles, a bowl of dipping chocolate, and two plates of fruit. Fat red strawberries and chunks of pineapple mingled with slices of pear and apple. He'd made the shed into a love nest.

"Jake," I said reverently. "When did you have time to do this?"

He shrugged, his hands jammed into his pockets as he joined me at the edge of the rug. "Whaddya think I've been doing since I left you at Charlie's?"

"You did this all _tonight_?" I asked in disbelief.

"Well, the pack helped. Paul and Jared mostly. And Rach did the more romantic stuff. But yeah, we did it all tonight."

"Jake, it's…it's incredible," I said, still unable to believe what I was seeing. It was perfect.

"Well, come on, let's not let it go to waste!" He grabbed my hand and pulled me to the futon, where he sat me down first. He sat next to me, and then wrapped me in his arms. "God, you feel so good, baby," he sighed into my neck.

It seemed like it had been forever since we'd been able to do this; to hold each other without a glare or an insistent throat-clearing, to relax against one another without fear of being told to "Cool it!", Charlie's favorite expression lately. I just wanted to hold him, to feel his heat and his strength, so inhale the scent of him, to luxuriate in the maleness that was Jake. We sat like that, wrapped up in each other, for an interval of time that I couldn't even begin to put a number on.

Jake's hand roamed across my back, the pressure increasing with every stroke. I inhaled his smoky, maple-y aroma, nuzzling into the hollow at the base of his throat. His skin was warm and smooth, and without even thinking about it, I licked his neck, taking in his amazing taste.

Jake immediately pulled me up to his face and planted his mouth on mine. The kiss was deep and soulful, our lips warm and hungry. His mouth molded to mine, yielding and soft but in charge, ever the Alpha. I was truly putty in his hands.

He slowly lifted my sweater, removing my clothes with unhurried deliberation. We had all night, and I intended to enjoy every minute. As his hand swept along my belly in its path to remove my top, he pulled back slightly from the kiss and his tongue flicked over the center of my upper lip. It almost tickled, but it felt so amazing that I returned the favor. The tips of our tongues touched and danced together outside our mouths.

After a few seconds of this, he started to laugh. "Kind of weird, huh?" he said with a smile.

"No, I liked it," I told him, pulling his face back to mine. "But I'd rather kiss for real. Especially since it's been so long…" I pulled him close again, wanting to feel his lips on mine.

He took the bait and kissed me soft and full and slow, his hand continuing to undress me. He lifted my sweater over my head and tossed it on the back of the futon, then smoothed his warm hand down my back, stopping at my bra strap. With a quick flick of his fingers, he popped it open and slid it down my arms, putting it with the sweater. That didn't take long; I was already naked from the waist up. Before I could even blink, his shirt was off too. He pulled me close, the feeling of skin on skin making me nearly frantic for more. My hands roamed over his broad, strong back as I snuggled into his shoulder.

"Slow down, baby. We've got all night." His palm came up to cup my face, his thumb smoothing across my bottom lip. "Let's take our time."

"Don't make me wait, Jake," I begged, panting. "It's not fair! It's been so long."

He didn't answer. "Come on, let's relax, huh?" he said, lying me back on the futon and positioning himself over me. I moved my legs apart to give him room, resting my head on one of the pillows on the futon. Jake's hand reached behind me to cradle my head, lifting my face up so he could kiss me some more. "There, that's better, isn't it?"

I didn't answer, because my arms were wrapped securely around his neck and my mouth was on his.

His lips dipped to my chest. His hand gripped my breast while his tongue played over my erect nipple, eliciting a sigh of pleasure from me. It seemed like it had been forever since we'd had a minute of intimacy, and he was right. We should slow down and enjoy. But I was dying to feel him – to feel his hands on me, to feel his body under my hands, to feel him inside me. I touched his back, kneading the powerful muscles there, pulling him close. As his warm breath flowed across my breasts, I put my hand on the back of his head, pulling his hair into my fist and pressing him closer, ever closer.

He showed a little less restraint now, now that I was revealing my aggression. His teeth bit down softly, just a little nibble, on the tip of my breast. I arched into him, giving him more, wanting more myself. He let out a satisfied growl and in response, I thrust my hips urgently into his thigh.

He made an unintelligible grunt and said, "Honey, you're not making the taking-it-slow thing easy."

"I so don't want to take it slow, Jacob," I moaned in response. "I'm losing it here."

"Ugggghh," he rumbled, frustrated. "God, babe!" He turned his head away, his eyes narrowing. Then he stretched up and kissed my chin. "Okay, you asked for it."

His hand went to the waist of my jeans and unzipped them, fumbling at the button after the zipper was down. Then he tugged at the denim covering my outer thighs and pulled my jeans down, taking my panties with them. He knelt up and started to remove his sweat pants, grunting, "Take your pants all the way off, babe."

In a second, all I had on was my socks, and he was wearing absolutely nothing. And if anyone had a body that was worth looking at naked, it was Jake. I could write poetry about those abs. As he stood beside the futon, kicking his sweats under it, his hips were positioned right in front of me and I just couldn't resist. It had been so long and all I wanted to do was taste him. I reached out with both hands and pulled him toward me, planting a kiss right on the tip of his rock hard erection.

He looked down at me, taken by surprise as I extended my tongue over the swollen head, licking it slowly as I looked up at his face. His expression was irresistible, a combination of overwhelming sexual arousal and devastating tenderness. Our eyes locked. His hands fisted into my hair, an elongated sigh escaping from his throat. I wanted more than anything to give him the pleasure he'd given me with his tongue on the day we'd fought the last of the vampires in Charlie's yard. I was committed to it. I'd wanted to do this for him ever since that night, and now was the perfect time.

I kept looking at him as I moved my mouth wetly up and down his turgid shaft. It seemed to grow as I sucked, getting even thicker and longer. I felt it touch the back of my throat and stopped for a second to keep from gagging. Damn, he was _huge_!

I bobbed up and down a few times, then drew back and coiled my tongue over him, watching his expression the entire time. He seemed to be having trouble keeping his eyes open. His head fell back as they closed, but then he seemed to think better of it and looked back down at me, conquered with pleasure. He didn't want to look away – he was afraid he'd miss something. A devilish grin formed on my face and I raised one eyebrow as I pulled him deeply into my mouth.

His quiet moan turned into a hiss as he continued to try to watch. "Jesus, Bells," he choked, his fists clutching in my hair. "God, baby, that feels so good."

"Mmmmm," I answered, continuing to look up at him with a naughty expression of lust. I wanted him to know that I enjoyed this as much as he did. Hungrily I worked my mouth over him, taking my time and running my tongue around and around his swollen member buried deep in my throat. He began thrusting in time with my movements, our eyes still locked on each other.

I could feel myself getting worked up and wet, and my hips started thrusting as well, searching for _something_, something I needed but couldn't quite place. Jake's brows met as he stared at me in ecstasy, his eyes narrowed and his breath coming quicker. "Shit, baby, you gotta…aw Bells, honey…" he murmured unintelligibly as his hips plunged forward again. There was an urgency to his movements and I knew he was nearing the finish line. So I upped the ante.

I pressed my mouth deeper onto him, taking every inch I could into my mouth. The swollen head pushed into my throat, deeper than it had so far, and I moaned, the vibration causing him to grasp my head tighter, holding it still. My eyes closed finally, and I concentrated on the love, the pleasure I was getting from this gift I was giving him. I knew it was only a matter of seconds…

He tried to pull my mouth away. He really did. But I was having none of it. I wanted the taste, the feel of him in my throat. I wasn't moving away now.

"Baby, I…" he began frantically. I stopped him with a rabid assault on his manhood in an intense culmination of this gratifying scene and I got what I wanted. He gushed into my mouth, coating the back of my throat with his seed. I swallowed every drop. It was like the nectar of the gods.

His hands had left my hair and his palms now covered his eyes as he panted deeply. "Fuck, Bells, I'm sorry. I tried to warn you…"

"Shhh," I crooned, kissing the tip which now bobbed slowly in front of my face. "I _wanted_ it."

"You…_damn,_ baby," he said, his hands moving away from his face. I smiled up at him, standing there and looking so damn delectable. "Really?"

"Mmmm-hmmm," I breathed, reaching up to pull him back down on top of me. "So much."

"Jeez, Bells…that's so…" he stopped for a minute and turned his head, grinning at me. "Fuckin' sexy."

My smile turned into a laugh.

He laid me back down, reaching over to the little coffee table and grabbing a strawberry, which he dipped in chocolate. "Here," he said, running the chocolate over my lips. "This'll get the taste out of your mouth."

I licked the chocolate from my lips and allowed him to feed me the strawberry, but I shook my head and told him, "Why would I want to get the taste of you out of my mouth? Don't be ridiculous."

"Ugh, that's gross," he commented.

"Did you think _I_ tasted gross when you did that for me?" I asked.

He turned to me, licking off a bit of chocolate on the corner of my mouth. "Naw, baby, you taste like…" His lips touched my ear as he whispered, "Caramel."

I giggled. "Well, I wouldn't say you taste like caramel. Maybe…maple syrup."

A lopsided grin and a raised eyebrow were my reward. "You're incredible," he said.

"I know," I smiled, grabbing a piece of pineapple and dipping it in the chocolate sauce. I let a drop fall over his nipple. "Oops!" I cried, exaggerating my distress. "I guess I'll have to clean that up!" I bent closer to him and flicked the chocolate off with the tip of my tongue.

"Oh, you wanna play that way, huh?" He was my playful Jake now, grinning and mischievous. He swiped a finger through the chocolate and dropped it onto my stomach.

"Jake!" I cried in fake dismay.

"I'll take care of it," he grinned, bending to lick it off. His feverish tongue lapped the chocolate away.

We played in the chocolate awhile, getting sticky and full. We shared some of the fruit he'd set out. We still had plenty of time left on our clandestine date when things settled down and we started talking seriously.

"So you've been on the pill for a month now, right?" he asked. I nodded.

"Yeah, and my period's over too," I confirmed. I'd finally gotten it the previous week.

"That means we're safe, right?" he asked.

"As safe as we can be on the pill," I told him. He looked troubled for a second. "What's wrong?" I asked. Nothing should mar this night. It was for fun and happiness, not disappointment or sadness.

He lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. "It seems stupid, but when we found out you weren't pregnant…I was kind of…bummed."

"You were?" I asked, squinting my eyes and turning my head. "Why?"

"Well, after I got over the initial shock, I…kinda started to like the idea. You having my baby. Us being parents together. Getting married. Living together as husband and wife?" He looked up at me hopefully.

I smiled gently. "We'll do all those things, Jake," I said. "But the timing was bad."

He sighed, looking back down at his hands. "I know," he admitted. "But still…" He looked up at me again, his face wistful. "I want it now."

"You do? Really?" I asked. Of course, I wanted to be married to Jacob, and I didn't care if it was tomorrow. I didn't want to wait. But I thought it was because I was the silly girl, the one who never thought things through. Jacob was deliberate, trustworthy, smart. He wanted the whole thing _now_?

"Jacob, you're sixteen," I said, pulling his warm hand between mine and holding him tight. "It's not a good time."

"Says who?" he asked belligerently. "Maybe by the calendar I'm sixteen. But I'm physically a man. And I have more responsibility than lots of guys twice my age. I've been helping take care of my dad since I was nine, and taking care of him alone since I was twelve. I'm the Alpha. I'm the chief. And I want to be with you all the time, Bells. Like really _be_ with you, day in and day out, not just when your dad and my dad say it's okay, or when school is out or whenever. Who says we're too young?" He wasn't angry or argumentative, but he was definitely passionate. He felt strongly about this, I could tell.

"Society," I answered. "School. Our parents."

"I don't care about any of that stuff," Jake said, looking straight into my eyes. "I don't want to wait."

"Jake, what are you saying?" I asked.

He looked at me steadily for a long minute. Then he said, "I don't know. I guess I just…missed you a lot this past month. It's been shitty not being able to be together."

I sighed, relieved. "I know," I told him, pulling his hand up to kiss it. "Summer will be here before we know it. We'll be together all the time. I promise." I smiled at him.

He seemed to shake himself out of his passionate rant. "I know. You're right," he said, seeming to force a smile. "C'mon, let's not waste any more time."

He held himself with his hands on either side of me and bent his elbows so he was doing a pushup over me as he dipped down to kiss me. His mouth covered mine, greedy and insistent. His tongue, warm and sweet, surged between my lips and he moaned feverishly.

I returned the kiss eagerly, wanting him as much as he seemed to want me. The interval of talking and eating had done nothing but make me desire him more. My arms coiled around him, pulling him toward me – but he resisted.

He held himself away so he could drop down to my breasts. He looked into my eyes as his mouth closed over my nipple. Oh my God, how did he _do_ that? He could get me wet with just a look. I couldn't move my eyes away as his tongue worked over my erect bud. He seemed to be staring into my soul.

With a burning need, I lifted my hips into his stomach, urging him to make love to me. I wanted him _inside_ me, filling me. "Come on, Jacob, please. Don't make me wait any more," I begged, focusing on his jet black eyes.

They narrowed infinitesimally and he pulled back slightly, so his lips weren't on my nipple but his tongue remained. Still he held my gaze. "Please?" I whispered to him.

With a final flick of his tongue, he left my breast. His face was suddenly directly in front of mine. His lips went to my ear, and he whispered, "I want to marry you, Bella Swan." As he said it, he slid his rigid shaft inside me in one thrust. "I want you to be my wife. I want to be with you forever." He looked into my eyes, pushing into me slowly, gently. "I want it. Now. Don't make me wait any more." He'd stolen the words I'd just used. It was so sweet and tender that tears formed in the corners of my eyes. "Please, baby," he whispered.

His lovemaking was slow, languid, unhurried. Like we had all night. Like he wanted to enjoy every second. Like he could wait…all…night – for an answer from me.

He bit his bottom lip as he continued his unhurried thrusting. No, I wasn't answering him now. It was ridiculous to even consider getting married already – we were children! I met his bucking hips, rolling up to him with every lunge. I wasn't going to let him make me answer him now. I wouldn't be coerced into answering a question like that. But his dark eyes pleaded with me. He kept watching and thrusting, waiting for something. I couldn't answer him though.

"You know we're getting married," he breathed. "I love you. You and I, we're bound forever, baby. It's really a question of…," he thrust into me again. "When."

I watched him. He was serious about this. Charlie's idea of keeping us apart had completely backfired. It had made Jake want to be married – something I was sure Charlie didn't want.

Yes, Jake was much more mature than anyone I knew who was his age. Yes, I was a legal adult. We _could_ actually get married. It wasn't completely absurd. We would be married someday anyway. We knew it, we both wanted it, neither of us wanted anyone else. Why should we wait?

Well, for the reasons I'd listed before. Society. The social firestorm that would come down on us if we suddenly announced that we were getting married would be ridiculous. School. Jake had two more years of high school left. He couldn't be _married_ and go to high school! And our parents. If Jake thought the rant we'd heard when they thought I was pregnant was bad, wait until they heard we were getting married! Charlie probably would go for his gun. There was no way they'd let us do that.

I focused on his face and he looked back at me, his expression so hopeful it was heartbreaking. He really meant it. He wanted me to tell him I'd marry him. I had no problem telling him yes. I just didn't want him to think I meant we could get married next week!

"Jake, I'll marry you," I panted. "I'll be your wife. And I'll do it as soon as I can. But I don't know how soon that will be."

"Just say yes, Bells. Say yes to me." He continued to buck into me gently, deliberately. And I couldn't. I just couldn't hold it back from him.

"Yes, Jacob. Yes. I'll marry you," I said. I closed my eyes and felt him kiss me, felt him making love to me, felt his heartbeat. I think I even felt a tear fall onto my face. But I don't know for sure, because at that point, Jacob began violently driving into me over and over until I was nothing more than a mass of jelly beneath him as he unleashed an orgasm that I simply couldn't control. I cried out, clutching handfuls of his hair as I pulled his lips to mine.

When I had finished my climax, he pulled away from my mouth. "Bella," he whispered. "Look at me."

I opened my eyes to see him gazing at me lovingly, his expression smoldering. "This sounds so corny, but you've…honey, you just made me the happiest man in the world." I watched his face, his eyes half-open and his teeth embedded in his lower lip as he thrust once more, hard, and exploded inside me with a long moan. He kept his eyes open the entire time, his features consumed with love. It was almost a religious experience. Almost like he was making love not to my body, but to my soul.

Afterwards, we lay in each other's arms, our breathing slowing. He seemed…stunned was the only word I could think of as he turned to me. "Did you mean it? Or was that just you, caught up in the moment?"

I flipped over so I was on my belly and rested my chin on his burly chest, looking down into his face. "Do you really think I would have promised something like that just because I was caught up in the moment?" I asked him.

His hand played across my back. "I'm afraid to believe it, Bells. Is it true? Are we engaged?"

I held up both hands, turning the backs of them to him. "See a ring? 'Cause I don't," I joked.

He reached under the futon and pulled his sweat pants out. "No?" he said, burying his hand in the pocket. He pulled out a tiny box.

No…no. I couldn't believe it. There was no way. He couldn't possibly have gotten me a ring. My eyes were as round as nickels as I looked from the box to his face. "_Jake_?" I breathed.

Smugly, he opened the box. I was dazed by the beauty of the ring inside. It was shiny silver, with a peppercorn-sized round diamond in the center. The diamond was surrounded by swirled carvings with tiny clear blue stones inlaid in the design. "You…where did you get this?" I asked when I could speak.

"I stole it," he said, then his face broke into a smile. "I'm kidding! Where do you think I got it? I got it at the jewelry store. Do you like it?"

"Jake, I l_ove_ it," I breathed. "But it's too much! Where did you get the money for this?"

"Don't worry about it," he said dismissively. "Try it on."

He slid it on to my left ring finger. It was breathtakingly beautiful. "Jake, are you serious about me _wearing_ this? Like, all the time?"

He looked up at me, his eyes wide with astonishment. "Why, don't you want to?" he asked.

I cupped his face in both hands and kissed his surprised lips. "Oh my God, Jake, of _course_ I do! But…is it okay? Like if Charlie or Billy sees?"

He was quiet for a second. "Billy knows. And Charlie…will know pretty soon," he said.

"_What_?" I cried.

"Well, I have to _ask_ him," he said, as if it were obvious.

"So he can _kill_ you?" I squeaked.

"He won't kill me, Bells. He'll be glad that I'm going to make an honest woman of you," Jacob grinned.

I slapped my hand down on his chest. "Hey! I'm honest. And he _is_ going to kill you. You're sixteen. I'm eighteen. You can't ask him for my _hand_!"

"I can and I will. Baby, when you know, you know. And I know. And you know. So that's it - that's all we need. Charlie'll understand."

I sighed, turning in his arms and resting the back of my head on his chest, staring at the ring in adoration. "I hope you're right," I said, "because I'm not taking this thing off. Ever."

An hour or two later, I blinked awake, warm and safe wrapped in Jake's arms. A gray light pushed under the door of the shed, signaling that it was almost dawn and that Jake and I needed to get back to Forks. "Jake," I whispered.

"I'm up." He tucked his chin into his chest and smiled down at me. "I think it has to be a crime – how cute you are when you're asleep."

I snuggled into him. "God, I love you, Jacob Black," I sighed, staring at the ring as my hand rested on his stomach.

He kissed the top of my head in response. "We gotta get back before Chief Charlie wakes up," he said.

"Okay," I said, pushing myself up on my elbows and reaching for my clothes which had fallen to the floor. It was then that we heard the car pull up right next to the shed.

Yes, I'm trolling for reviews. Lemme know what you think, please.


	27. Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27

"_ISABELLA MARIE SWAN_!"

It was so loud that I felt the vibration of his voice before I heard it. Wide eyed, Jake and I stared at each other for a split second. Then, in fast motion, we fumbled with our clothes, trying to get dressed. It was easy for Jake – all he had to do was pull on his sweat pants. I was grappling with the closure to my bra, trying to find my panties, zipping up my jeans… Desperately, I pulled my sweater over my head while I heard the door of the shed practically come off its hinges as Charlie pounded on it.

"_Open the goddamn door_!" he hollered.

"Uh, Charlie, is that you?" Jake said, feigning sleepiness. He quickly motioned for me to hide. Frantically, I looked around, diving behind the wood pile and covering myself with the tarp. "What's wrong? Is someone hurt?"

"_Don't start your shit with me, boy_," Charlie yelled. "_I know she's here. Open the damn door or I'll break it down_!"

Jake went to the door and slid the bolt free so that it was unlocked. It swung open immediately to reveal Charlie, wild eyed, hair sticking up, wielding a shotgun.

"Where is she, Black? You damn kids…what the hell is wrong with you? You snuck her out?" he spat as he strode into the barn, looking from left to right. I was a goner. There was no way he wouldn't find me.

Just then I heard Billy hollering. His chair wouldn't navigate the path from the house to the shed, so he was essentially trapped in the yard, but I could hear him. "Charlie Swan, what are you doing here at the crack of dawn yelling like a damn fool?" he demanded at top volume.

"Stay out of it, Billy!" Charlie threw over his shoulder. "This is none of your business!"

"You just made it my business by coming on my land with your gun drawn. Bring it inside so you don't wake up the whole reservation! Let the kids get dressed!" shouted Billy.

This only served to fuel Charlie's anger. "Get _dressed_?" he cried, his voice creeping an octave higher. Then he began muttering, "Jesus Christ, Billy, it's a wonder you're not a grandfather ten times over with that attitude…" as he stomped out of the shed toward the house. He hesitated for a second, and I heard him say, "Isabella Swan, you get your ass in that house now or your boy here is gonna be picking lead out of his liver!"

Well, at least he'd dropped the Marie.

A minute or so later - a minute I spent huddled under the tarp, breathing hard and trying to control my galloping heart – Jake pulled the canvas back gently. His dark eyes regarded me sympathetically. "We better get up there," he said. "Come on out. They're in the house."

I emerged slowly, glancing around, hoping Charlie was indeed in the kitchen with Billy and not hiding around the corner with the gun trained on Jake. It didn't seem so far-fetched now, after that spectacular tantrum. I couldn't _believe_ he'd shown up with a gun!

"Shit, Jake, we're dead!" I said, looking up at him fearfully.

"Come on," he said, taking my hand calmly. "Time to face the music."

I rolled my eyes to heaven, shaking my head. "It's not music, it's a death march," I muttered as we trudged through the rain to the house.

Charlie stood in the kitchen, still clutching the shotgun. I could see it was his .410, a comparatively tiny gun - well, at least a gun with tiny ammo - that he only used in competition when shooting skeet. It would barely break the skin if he fired it at Jake. I breathed a sigh of relief. The gun was only for show; if he'd had his 12 gauge or even his 20 gauge, I'd have known he was serious, but the gun he had would only work on a dove, if that. Jake glanced at it and I knew he was thinking the same thing as a smirk crossed his face.

But that didn't mean Charlie wasn't completely pissed off and ready to ground me until kingdom come. He was arguing with Billy as we entered and he swung on us, all fury and thunder. He pointed a finger in Jake's face.

"You listen to me, boy, and you listen good: My daughter is hereby off limits to you and all your little friends here on the rez. You understand me? You've got no respect for authority, son, no respect at all. I told you before that you weren't to see her unless I was around. What the hell were you thinking?"

Billy broke in. "What about Bella, Charlie? She's in this, too."

"I'll deal with Bella in a minute. First, I want an answer from this joker."

Jake had stood there, taking every bit of shit that Charlie was doling out. He'd stood still while Charlie pointed a finger in his face. He'd listened to Charlie call him a "boy" – several times. And he'd been respectful to Charlie the entire time I'd known him. But somewhere along the way, Charlie had crossed a line - and Jake was about to lose it. He glowered at Charlie from under lowered brows, his nostrils flaring and his breathing hard. I could see his hands clenched into fists through the thin fabric of his sweatpants.

I didn't want this at all. Jake fighting with Charlie would _not_ be pretty.

Jake took a deep breath, preparing for the blowup – so I stepped in. "Dad, it was my idea. Jake didn't want to. But I…insisted." I glanced at Jake, whose face was now black with rage and sneering.

Charlie turned to me, incredulous. "You?" he asked, skeptical. "No. I know better, Bella. It's time for him to answer to me."

Now I was getting pissed. "Okay, Dad," I began testily. "You're right, it wasn't my idea. It was _our_ idea. We _both_ wanted to sneak out, okay? But Jake did try to talk me out of it because – and these are his words, not mine – he thought it was _disrespectful_ to disobey you. But I told him to stop being such a rule follower, and I'm the one who convinced _him_, not the other way around." I took a step closer to him to accentuate my point.

"Secondly, I'm not a child and he's not a _boy_!" I thrust my hand in Jake's direction. "_Look_ at him! That's not a boy, Dad! I love him. And you can't keep us from seeing each other; I'm an adult! So either you let us be together, or I'll leave as soon as I graduate and you won't see me at all!"

Charlie seemed like he hadn't heard a word I'd said. He was staring at the hand I'd used to gesture at Jake. My left hand.

"What…the…hell is that?" he asked, his eyes focused on the ring. I made a fist and put it behind my back immediately. Charlie was suddenly right in front of me, his face livid. "What is it, Bella?"

Billy started chuckling, and Charlie turned on him like a tornado. "What do you know about this, old man?" he demanded. Jake, all signs of anger gone, was drawing his finger across his throat in the universal "cut it" signal to Billy behind Charlie's back, but Billy ignored him.

"You know what it is, Charlie! What's it look like?" Billy said, grinning.

Charlie looked away, sighing theatrically. "It _looks_ like an engagement ring, but I _know_ it's not that!"

"You're damn right it is," Billy confirmed. "Get used to it, Charlie. Jake's gonna be calling you Daddy soon."

Charlie looked as if he were about to pop a vein in his neck. His face was purple with fury as he turned to me. "Bella, we're going home," he announced, grabbing my upper arm.

But I stood firm. "I'm not going anywhere, Dad," I said quietly, planting my feet on the linoleum. "I'm staying here with Jake today. And I meant what I said. I love him and I'm going to stay with him always. If you decide you don't want him near me, then _you're_ the one who won't see me, not him."

Maybe it was because I was quiet and calm about it, but this time, Charlie listened to me. He sat down wearily at the table, leaning back in the chair and rubbing his hand through his hair with a sigh. "Okay, fine. Sit down. Let's talk."

I sat at the table and Billy rolled up. I knew Rachel and Paul were in the house and certainly within hearing distance, but luckily they weren't exactly present. Jake remained standing, his hands in his pockets, leaning against the counter. "Sit down, Jake," said Charlie.

"I'm good here," Jake answered without looking up. I could tell he was still angry with Charlie.

Charlie sighed again. "What's this about getting engaged?" he asked the room.

"We're getting married, Charlie. Maybe not tomorrow but soon," Jake said without looking up.

"You agree with this, Bella?" asked Charlie.

"I'm wearing the ring," I said, holding out my hand for him to see.

Charlie looked at the ring carefully. "Pretty," he commented. He looked at Jake. "How'd you pay for it?" he asked.

Jake looked at him steadily, blinking for a moment, then answered him the same way he'd answered the same question when I'd asked. "Don't worry about it."

"So tell me, kids," began Charlie grandly. "How are you planning to live?"

"Well, we're gonna have to get jobs, right Bells?" Jake answered, looking at me. I nodded. That was a given.

"What do you think you can do where you'll make enough money to get by?" Charlie asked, amused by what he viewed as our amateur planning. But we'd worked it all out last night.

"I can work full time at the garage with Sam," Jake said. The thought of him working full time sucked, but …at least when he came home, he'd be coming home to me.

"What about you, Bella?" Charlie asked, turning to me with a sarcastic grin. "You just gonna stay home and be the happy homemaker?"

"You know I already applied for student loans, Dad. The tuition at Peninsula isn't that much and I'll still be able to hold down a part time job and study. It says right on the student loan application that you can use the money for anything during school; living expenses, tuition, books, you name it – and I don't have to pay it back until I graduate. Jake and I will be able to afford an apartment. Jessica got offered a loan for $50,000 and _her_ dad and mom both work. And I can make a lot of money over the summer working at The Lodge. They always need waitresses, and those girls make great tips. All cash, too."

That seemed to shut him up for a second. Then another smug smile spread across his face. "That sounds great, Bells. But what about high school? You know your little boyfriend is only a sophomore. He's got _two years _left. You gonna marry him while he's still in high school?"

Billy spoke up now. "Actually, Charlie, Jake has been on an accelerated program ever since he started freshman year. He's taking summer classes this year and next year. He'll graduate next August, only a year behind Bella." Billy glanced up at Jake with pride, then looked back at Charlie. "And as for a place to stay, this is a reservation - there's always some little cabin with no one in it. You should hear them out, Chief. The kids have a pretty good plan, at least what I've heard of it."

"You knew about all this?" Charlie asked suspiciously.

Billy stared at him, seeming to weigh the consequences of telling him. "Jake's been talking about it for a month or so. He laid it all out for me. I gave them my blessing." Billy sighed as my heart warmed, thinking of Jake planning this all out - for a whole month before I ever even knew. "I know it's hard to let them go, Charlie. My girls have been gone a long time. But this is the natural order of things. The kids grow up, they fall in love, they get married, they move on. You did it, I did it, now it's their turn."

"They're _children_!" Charlie protested adamantly. "They can't be on their own! Look at what happened last month with that pregnancy stunt!"

"Come on, Dad," I said, exasperated. "Everyone makes mistakes. Adults make mistakes too. We were lucky that time, and we made it right as soon as we could after that. We admitted we were irresponsible. But…" I looked at him significantly. "_Everyone_ makes mistakes sometimes."

"You're still kids. It's ridiculous," Charlie spluttered, not even batting an eye at my veiled accusation.

"Dad…" I began, but Billy interrupted.

"She's right, Charlie. Technically, Bella's been an adult since September. This is May. And Jake…well, Jake is old beyond his years," he said. Jake continued standing there, staring at the floor.

Billy was right. Jake was wise way ahead of his age. Charlie knew it, too. He knew Jake had been caring for Billy for years by himself – watching his diet, taking him to the doctor, helping him get around. Jake basically ran the Black household – he shopped, cooked, cleaned, and maintained their home. Unbeknownst to Charlie, he also had the burden of the pack to worry about – being the Alpha, running council meetings, and essentially looking out for the tribe. Jake was more than capable of being a husband.

Husband. _My husband_. The words alone sent a thrill through me. I loved the idea. He'd belong to me in every possible way – and that's all I wanted.

I smiled at Jake, the same pride I'd seen on Billy's face beaming from mine. I stood up and joined him standing against the counter, taking his hand in a show of solidarity. I wanted Charlie to have no question in his mind where my loyalties were.

"Jake gonna take out loans too?" Charlie asked belligerently, watching me with Jake. "That's a big debt to be starting out with."

"Jake has a full scholarship," I said gently. I didn't want to be disrespectful. This was a lot for Charlie to take. But he knew I would've been going away to school in the fall anyway. I'd been talking about going to University of Washington for months. We'd discussed tuition, scholarships, housing, books…I couldn't understand the difference. One way or the other, I'd be gone.

But then I realized that if I were married, I'd be much more permanently gone than if I just went away to school. After all, if I were at school, I'd be home for breaks and summer, and there was always the possibility that I'd come back and live at home after I graduated. If I got married…then I'd be with Jake forever, and I'd never live under Charlie's roof again. The thought made me a little sad – but aren't most people sad at the prospect of leaving their family home? No matter what age? And I'd be with Jacob, my best friend, my perfect companion, the love for which I'd been waiting my whole short life. No extra time with Charlie would be able to compare to that.

Charlie sat quietly for a moment. He looked up at Jacob and me, sneering at our joined hands. "You're still thinking about University of Washington, right? You're going to be in Seattle?"

Jake kicked a bare toe into the linoleum self-consciously. "Uh…actually, Charlie, we'd probably end up at Eastern Washington next year after Bells goes to Peninsula in the fall. It's cheaper and their married student housing is on-campus. U of W only has married housing off-campus," he said hesitantly, finally meeting Charlie's gaze.

"Aw, come on!" Charlie protested. "That's all the way in Cheney! It's eight hours away!"

Jacob continued to stare at him. "It'd be a lot easier if you were on our side in this, Charlie. Maybe we wouldn't have to go so far away if we had some support. But there's nothing to keep us here if you're going to fight us every step of the way," he said evenly.

Charlie looked away and stared at the wall moodily. "Well, I guess you've thought of everything, haven't you?" he asked sarcastically. "Got it all figured out, don't you? Well, I hope it works out for you. It's a mighty hard row to hoe, starting a new life all alone." He sighed angrily.

"She could do a lot worse, Charlie," Billy said, pleading our case for us. "She could have been with that Cullen character. She could be with that goofy Mike Newton. She could be with…Paul!" Paul had just staggered into the kitchen, hair askew, sleepily unsteady on his feet. He wore a pair of Spongebob lounge pants that were hanging half off his ass. His plaid boxer shorts showed above them. He was shirtless as he filled a glass of water at the sink then turned, spilling it down his chest. He was the perfect picture of incompetence. The entire room burst out laughing. Even Charlie managed a chuckle. Paul looked around innocently.

"What?" he asked, his voice thick with sleep.

This only caused more laughter. Jake slapped Paul on the back in a friendly way. "Nothing, bro. Go back to sleep."

Paul looked at everyone, confused. "I am," he said, shuffling out of the room with his water glass.

Amid the remnants of our laughter, Paul continued down the hall and entered Jake's room, closing the door. "See?" Billy said. "You could be me. That's gonna be _my_ son-in-law someday."

"Hey, at least you're getting Bella as a daughter-in-law," Charlie grumbled. "That's a definite step up for you from the local bad-boy and the Samoan surfer."

I smiled at that before I realized what Charlie had just said. I'd be Billy's daughter-in-law! Did that mean he was giving us the go-ahead?

"Dad?" I said. He looked at me, a resigned expression on his face.

"You're going to do what you want anyway, Bella," he said in a barely-tolerant tone. "Your boy there has a point. If I fight you, I run the risk of losing you altogether. I did that once, and I don't want to do it again."

I really didn't like it that he was continuing to call Jake a boy, but if that was the worst he called him, I'd count myself lucky. Maybe things would work out after all. I smiled up at Jake in relief.

"I'm really glad to hear that, Charlie," Jacob said. "But I have one last thing to ask."

The entire house seemed to stand still as we all waited for the inevitable question. "I'd like to marry your daughter, sir. May I have Bella's hand in marriage?" Jake said formally.

Charlie sighed vehemently, shaking his head with a sarcastic eyeroll. It wasn't very polite, but I knew where Charlie was coming from. "Yeah," he said dismissively. "But you damn well better treat her right, b…" I shot Charlie a look that said, _Don't you dare call him __**boy**__ again_. He thought better of it and ended lamely, "Black."

Before Charlie could protest, Jake grabbed Charlie's hand, pumping it up and down enthusiastically. "Yes sir, I will," he practically shouted, a happy grin splitting his face in two. He dropped Charlie's hand and turned to me, catching me up in one of his enormous wolf-hugs. His head bent to mine and he kissed me. I could feel the smile still on his lips.

I couldn't believe it. _Married_. Oh, the Forks High crowd would have a field day with this! I was sure it would be all over town by this afternoon, and I was sure the gossip would be running in one direction only: "When is she due?" Because who else married her high school boyfriend while he was still _in_ high school except the girl who was in "trouble?" But I didn't care what anyone thought. Now that everything had been worked out, I wanted to be married to Jake as soon as possible.

Billy talked Charlie into taking him fishing; they hadn't been in over a month. Jake and I had the entire day together, and it was fun to finally be able to hang out without a chaperone breathing down our necks.

Paul and Rachel emerged from Jacob's room after Charlie and Billy were gone. Paul had a knowing smirk on his face. "So I think I heard you ask for Bella's hand, is that right?" he said to Jake. Jake nodded. "What'd he do, catch you sneaking out?" Paul said.

"You could say that," I answered. "I think it was more that he found me gone this morning, and kind of lost it. He came over here with a shot gun."

Jake rolled his eyes. "It was a .410," he told Paul. "Stupid thing would have trouble going through newspaper."

"He was doing it for effect, Black," Paul said. "I'd bring a gun too, if I thought you were lying on top of my daughter."

Jake laughed, shaking his head. "I'm surprised you haven't had a gun or two drawn on you, Lahote, with your reputation," he snickered.

Rachel nudged Paul with her elbow. "Who says he hasn't?" she asked, and we all laughed. "Seriously, though, little brother. When's the big day?"

Jake looked to me, shrugging. "I guess it's up to us, huh, Bells? What do you think?"

I mulled it over for a few minutes. "I don't know. I mean, it's gonna be small, right? Should we wait until after you graduate? Or should we shoot for this summer?"

"I don't want to live together until we're married," he said. "But I don't want to wait to live together, either. We should plan on this summer, don't you think?"

"God, that's fast," I mumbled.

"_Too _fast?" Jake asked worriedly.

"Not at all," I smiled, leaning into him. "I'm just thinking of the town gossip."

"Ah, who cares?" Jake asked rhetorically. "Let 'em talk. It'll be pretty funny when nine months roll around and we're not pushing a stroller."

"So when? July? August?" I asked.

"When's school start back up?" asked Jake.

"U of W starts on August 20th," Paul said, glancing at Rachel. I could see this was some sort of issue between them. Did Rachel want him to remain in La Push? Or was it the other way around; did Paul want Rachel to move to Seattle with him?

"We should go for early August, then," Jake decided.

I took out my phone. "If you want to do a Saturday, we have August 4th or the 11th," I said, looking at the calendar.

"Let's do a Friday," Jake suggested. "Then we'll have all day Saturday to…" He winked and raised his eyebrows a few times. We all laughed.

"Then the 10th it is," I said. "But that only gives us, like, three months."

"So what? What do you have to plan? We can get married here on the rez and have the reception on the beach or at the Tribal Center if it rains. Everyone can bring food. I mean, seriously, do we need a lot of planning?"

"I guess not," I said doubtfully. "I guess we need more in the way of _big_ planning. Like jobs and a place to live."

"Yeah," Jake agreed. He looked at me, shrugging. "You okay with all this?" he asked.

"Come on, Paul, let's give the lovebirds a little privacy," Rachel said, pulling Paul out the door by the hand. We watched them go, then Jake turned to me, and said, "So? Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," I said.

"You seem a little…I don't know… hesitant or something," he said.

I sat down at the table and rested a hand on my chin. "How could I be hesitant about marrying you?"

His hot hand grabbed mine. "Because it's a big change for you. For us."

"Jake, I told you yes because I mean it. I really, really want to be with you. All the time. I can't wait until we can move in together."

"You don't feel like I tried to…I don't know…force you into saying yes last night?"

I smiled up at him dubiously. "I said yes by my own free will, Jake. It was no Alpha order."

He laughed shortly. "Well, I want our marriage to be fifty-fifty all the time. No Alpha orders."

I smiled at him, nodding. I was lost in thought. The whole marriage idea had me a little freaked out. It wasn't the actual _marriage_, per se, it was more the _wedding_ that had me worried. He saw my expression and sighed at me, turning his head to one side. "What's wrong, Bells?" he asked.

"Nothing!" I answered, a little too loudly.

"Something," he countered. "You're upset."

I made a face, looking away. "The wedding," I admitted. "I'm just worried about that. What about Renee? She'll lose her mind. She's always been dead-set against me getting married until after I'm thirty. What will I tell her? 'Hi, Mom, I imprinted on this Native boy and we're tying the knot? The wedding is in August?' It all seems so dumb."

"Dumb?" Jake's eyes were wounded.

"I meant… irresponsible."

"Now you sound like Charlie," Jake grumbled.

"You know that's not what I mean!" I protested. "I mean _she'll_ think it sounds irresponsible! And then I'll have to have the same argument I had with Charlie all over again with Renee."

"Is she coming up for your graduation?" he asked.

"She's supposed to be," I said dejectedly.

"Well, do you want to wait until then to tell her? Or would you rather go down there and talk to her sooner?"

"How are we supposed to go down there?" I asked. "We don't have time to drive all the way to Jacksonville, turn around and come back in one weekend! It's something like a forty-seven hour drive! And we still have school for two more weeks. I guess we _could_ go when school ends…" I tried to work it out in my mind.

Jake sighed, rising from his chair. He left the room momentarily, going into his bedroom for a minute and coming out with something in his hand. He tossed the small cardboard brochure on the table. "I was saving these for our honeymoon," he said. "But we could use them earlier, if it means this much to you."

Mystified, I picked up the little folder and opened it. Inside were the plane tickets to Jacksonville that Carlisle and Esme had given me for my birthday eight months ago. I looked up at him, my mouth agape.

"You saved these?" I asked, awed.

"Are you pissed? Because I just couldn't bring myself to burn up $1000 worth of airline tickets, Bells. That's an expensive flight – it goes clear across the country. I looked through that stuff, and this was all that was worth salvaging. If you're mad about it, I promise, I'll sell 'em on eBay or something and we'll use the money for something else. But when I saw these, I thought maybe we could get some use out of them."

"God, Jake, I'm not pissed! I can't believe you _saved_ them! I thought they were gone." I laughed. The irony wasn't lost on me that the Cullens would be paying for my werewolf honeymoon.

"Uh, no, Bells. I'm Quileute, remember? I can't just toss things indiscriminately." He shrugged, grinning and raising his eyebrows. "Waste not, want not, right? So you wanna use them now?"

My face was alight with the smile that threatened to split it in two. "No freaking way," I answered ecstatically. I jumped up, flinging my arms around his neck. "This means we get to go on a honeymoon!"

He hugged me back, surprised and happy. "You're not thinking of…visiting your mom on our honeymoon, are you?" he asked uncertainly.

I laughed, planting a sloppy kiss on his cheek. "No way, Jake. We're going to Disney World!"

Now that we had a wedding date and a honeymoon destination, all we needed were jobs and a place to live. Jake's job was already secure – he could work at Sam's garage anytime he wanted. But I needed to pound the pavement and get something lined up for after graduation. I wanted to start making money immediately.

Jake's summer classes would be finished by noon each day, so he had the bulk of the afternoon and evening to work with Sam. Even though the garage closed for business at six, Sam stayed late almost every day finishing things on all the vehicles he was repairing. He was glad to be able to leave earlier and go home to Emily, giving Jake the opportunity to work eight hour days even while going to school. Sam paid him well, too. There were definite perks to being the Alpha.

As for me, I applied all over town, but as I'd described to Charlie, The Lodge was where I landed a job. The work was hard and exhausting, but I was able to work long hours and everyone in town gave me, the Chief's daughter, generous tips. You can say what you want about small towns, and you'd probably be right, but we do take care of our own.

Graduation came and went in a blur. Renee was there, along with Charlie, Jake, Billy, and Sue. Even Phil, my mom's husband, showed up. The day went by quickly, with lots of hugs from old friends and well-wishers after the ceremony. Charlie wanted to take us all to The Lodge for dinner, and it was weird for me to be served by people who were my co-workers and who had become my friends.

We still hadn't told anyone about the wedding. I hadn't even told Renee. I was saving that until the next day, when there would be time to talk. I assumed Charlie had mentioned it to Sue, but she hadn't said anything so there was no way to tell for sure. While I was still wearing my engagement ring, I turned it around so the diamond was on the palm side. So far no one had asked about it.

Over dinner we discussed my college plans. Renee expressed surprise that I'd decided on a community college for the first year, but Charlie and I tag-teamed very well, avoiding the inevitable marriage conversation.

After dinner, there was a house party at Jessica's. I'd tried to beg off, but Jake insisted that we go. He told me that this is what graduating seniors do, and next year he was going to want to drag me to parties so he was going with me this year as "pre-payback." I snickered at his explanation, and after we said our goodbyes to our parents and their friends, and made our way back to Jessica's in my truck.

The loud bass coming from Jessica's house proved that the party was in full swing before we even got to the door. I didn't even bother to knock, since the music was so loud I knew no one would hear me. Jake opened the door and we went in. The place was wall to wall people, and the crowd parted to let us by.

Jessica was in the kitchen with a group surrounding her. She had a red keg cup pressed to her lips and she took a big gulp, making a face as it went down. Yep, my Forks friends were having a little taste of adulthood tonight. I couldn't believe her parents were okay with this.

I dragged Jake over to her and we said our hellos, hugged each other, and got the small talk out of the way. Jessica was happy and animated, her eyes alight with excitement and the false cheer of the alcohol. She offered me a drink.

"Want some?" she asked, holding the cup out to me. "It's the signature drink of the night. I made it up – it's called the Caress of Jess." The liquid in the cup was light blue.

"What's in it?" asked Jake with interest.

"Um…it's that Hpnotiq stuff with coconut rum and pineapple juice," she said.

"No thanks," I answered, rolling my eyes. We'd be hammered in minutes if we drank that. I'd stick with diet Coke tonight. Jake smiled, grabbing a bottle of water and a can of diet Coke out of a cooler on the floor. I turned back to Jess. "Where's your parents?" I asked.

"They had a minister's retreat in Seattle this weekend," giggled Jess. "They had to leave right after the ceremony."

"Yeah, so we're taking advantage," Lauren butted in. I didn't like the way Lauren was eyeing Jake. She sidled up to him and smiled sexily, batting her eyes. I could see that she'd had a couple of the 'signature drink' and was a few sheets to the wind. I knew she wouldn't hold back tonight.

"Hi, Jake," she crooned. "It's been a long time, huh?"

Jake stared at her, confused. "Sorry, have we met?" Lauren's face turned beet red and I stifled a laugh.

"Oh, stop it," she said flirtatiously, recovering. "You know me, we met at First Beach!"

"Oh, you were with Bella and that big group that time?" he asked. He genuinely didn't remember her. I loved this. Wait until she found out we were engaged!

Lauren sighed, exasperated. Then she seemed to think better of her reaction, and she reached up and put a palm on Jake's cheek. "You don't have to pretend you don't remember me, Jake," she said. "Bella knows you have a thing for me."

I saw red. As if he knew what I had planned, Jake reached in front of me with his tree-trunk arm. "It's okay, baby," he said softly to me, holding me back gently. Then he very deliberately removed Lauren's hand from his cheek. I was itching to claw her eyes out, but what Jake did was somehow much more gratifying. He stepped back from Lauren and said, "Look, _Laura_ is it? Yeah, I don't have any idea who you are. I don't recall meeting you…ever. And I think you're pissing my Bella off in a big way. So you need to back off, okay? I don't want to be a dick or anything but…Bells and I …we're exclusive."

Lauren's face seemed to glow with embarrassment. Jake turned away from her, taking me by the shoulders and steering me back through the living room amid titters from the crowd in the kitchen. I almost felt bad for 'Laura', until I remembered that she'd just tried to steal Jake from right under my nose.

We saw Angela in the living room, dancing in the corner with Ben. She broke away from him and screamed as she came up to us, pulling me in for a hug."Omygod, Bella!" she cried as if she hadn't seen me in weeks rather than hours. I returned the hug, laughing. Angela pulled away and turned to Jake.

"So, Jake!" she said in greeting. "You guys are finally gonna show up at some of the Forks High stuff, huh? Seems like you've had Bella trapped on the rez for months!"

Jake held up both hands, palms out. "Hey, I wasn't keeping her away from her friends!" he protested good-naturedly.

"So what _were_ you doing then?" Mike asked belligerently, coming up behind us. "Keeping our girl away from all the fun?" Mike slung his arm around my shoulders. I could smell his beer breath before I even turned my head in his direction. Mike was drunk.

"Hi, Mike," I said cautiously. "You feeling okay?" I didn't like the look Jake was giving him. He stared at his arm on my shoulder as if it were a tumor or something.

"I'm feeling great!" he said, a grin plastered on his face. "High school's over and tonight's the night, baby! I'm gonna make history!"

"Okay," I said carefully, trying unsuccessfully to extricate myself from his grip.

"Don't you want to know what I'm going to do to make history?" he asked, his bloodshot eyes looking down at me, amused.

"How?" I asked, humoring him.

"I'm finally gonna get _you_," he announced, jabbing a finger into my chest, "to go out on a date with _me_!" He leaned forward and kissed my surprised lips.

"Hey!" I cried, jerking back. Jake was suddenly towering over him, his nostrils flared and his pupils dilated. His hands were fisted at his sides and he was breathing hard.

"What's wrong, Bella?" Mike asked, his tone jovial. "You don't wanna move up in the world? Try out a nice suburban kid like me instead of this Native Neanderthal?"

"Mike!" I slapped him hard on the arm. "What's wrong with you?" I was furious. At the same time, Jake's chest swelled out as he spat, "The fuck's your problem, man?"

Mike pointed at his own chest, getting in my face. "I had dibs, Bella! I saw you first!"

Jake leaned menacingly over Mike. "Listen, Newton, or whatever the fuck your name is. Number one, she's not a piece of cake that you can call dibs on. Second, Bella's done going out on dates with anyone but me, you understand?" I knew he was trying to hold back from slamming Mike's face into the wall.

But Mike had way too much liquid courage on board. "What, do you _own_ her now or something? It's not like she's your _wife_!"

"Maybe not yet but in a few months she will be!" thundered Jake.

The entire party seemed to come to a standstill. "What?" Angela cried in surprise.

"Yeah, uh…I have some news, everyone," I said, wanting the floor to swallow me up. This was _so_ not the way I wanted to tell everyone. "Jake and I are getting married in August." I turned my ring around and held my hand out for them to see.

"Married?" Mike asked, confused. "What, are you knocked up?"

I turned to spit a nasty comment at him but I was too late. Jake had hauled off and punched him across the jaw. Mike spun around once, his hand going to his face, and then fell on the floor in a heap.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Hi, all! Obligatory apology for taking so long - sorry :(. This is the penultimate chapter, not including the epilogue. (Penultimate, for the uninitiated, means _next to last_ - yeah, there's a word for that!) So we're winding down and the drama is largely done. But stay tuned anyway - you might find some more fun, you never know. ;).**

**I forgot to thank my amazing pre-reader, Kissa_621, last chapter, but only because I'm an idiot and not because of anything that Kissa did or didn't do. She's amazing as always. I'm just a big LOSER! Anyway, double...no, _TRIPLE_ thanks to Kissa for putting up with me. You're incredible, K!**

**Last, I'm still slogging through all your awesome reviews and I WILL get them answered. Sorry it's taking me so long - friggin job takes up so much time! **

**As usual, anything you recognize isn't mine. Love you all! And thanks to E'Janee (she knows why...)**

CHAPTER 28

Screams erupted from all sides. We were instantly surrounded by half my graduating class, all vying for a good view or a shot at Jake. He was backed against the corner where Angela had been dancing with Ben, and he was holding Tyler off while Ben and Eric jockeyed around him, trying to land a punch.

Jess ran in with Lauren, seemingly hysterical. "Bella, what the _hell_?" she screamed. "Do you have to bring that hotheaded Indian with you wherever you go?"

I wanted to slap her. Obviously she'd missed my big engagement announcement, but even so, to call Jake a 'hotheaded Indian' was reprehensible. I turned on her furiously. "Jess!" I cried. "Don't talk like that about my fiancé!"

She turned to me, her eyes wide, as the rest of the room quieted down once again. "Your _what_? Did you say _fiancé_? Bella, are you…" She raised her eyebrows, and I looked at her like a deer in the headlights. She'd _better_ not say what Mike had just said! I didn't want Jake slugging her in the chin. She seemed to understand, and she finished her question lamely. "Getting married?"

"Yes," I answered hoarsely. "Jake and I are getting married…in August." I looked around at my friends. The boys had backed off from Jake, fascinated by this new topic of conversation. The air was electric with scandal. Everyone was thinking what Mike had blurted out so thoughtlessly.

"Bella, are you serious?" Angela asked carefully. "You're getting married to a sixteen year old sophomore?" I nodded. "Do your parents know?"

Jake rolled his eyes to heaven, sighing loudly. "Jesus, Bells, you had these jokers pegged," he mumbled.

I ignored him, hoping everyone else would too. He'd be lucky if Mike didn't press charges - he'd definitely be spending the night in jail if Mike decided to be a jerk about this. I could see Mike starting to stir, coming to, moaning in pain or confusion, I wasn't sure which. Eric knelt next to him, slapping his cheeks and talking to him in urgent tones.

"Charlie knows," I told Angela. "I haven't told my mom yet." Angela looked stunned. Jessica had finally noticed that it was Mike groaning on the floor and made her way over to him, acting like the worried girlfriend.

"Mike, are you okay?" she called. Mike moaned in response.

Angela leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Bella…is everything okay?"

I knew what she was asking. "I'm not pregnant, Ang," I said. "We're just…anxious to be together." I gave the impression that we were waiting until we were married to become…intimate. It wouldn't hurt anyone to think that about us.

Mike suddenly stood up, looking for a fight. "Where'd he go?" he demanded drunkenly. "Where is that damn Native?"

Eric and Tyler rushed to calm Mike down. They knew Jake would wipe the floor with him given half a chance. "Mike, don't start something you can't finish," Tyler warned.

"_Fuck_ him," spat Mike. "I'll rip him apart!"

"Uh, Mike, that guy is huge," Ben said, talking to him as if Jake weren't standing right there. "You can't beat him. All _four_ of us can't beat him." Jake nodded in agreement, bringing a few chuckles around the room.

"Mike," Jessica broke in. "_Please _don't start any more trouble! The last thing we need is for someone to call the cops!"

_Jesus_! What the hell was Jessica thinking? She _had_ to bring up calling the cops! I didn't want to give Mike any ideas – and I certainly didn't want to have to bail Jake out of jail tonight!

"No, no one is calling the cops," Tyler said. But Mike wanted to argue.

"No, I want to press charges against this asshole," Mike said, gesturing to Jake.

"Mike, listen," Ben said. "If you call the cops we're _all_ gonna end up in jail. You're drunk. There's liquor here and we're all underage. And don't forget, the chief is Bella's dad. I don't know if he'd take too kindly to you pressing charges against his future son-in-law."

Ben brought up some good points, though I had a feeling Charlie would relish throwing Jake in jail. Luckily Mike wasn't too drunk to listen to reason. Ben and Tyler walked him out into the backyard to for some 'fresh air,' and as they did, Mike mumbled, "Did we ever find out if she's got a bun in the oven?" I rolled my eyes at his stupidity as the topic of conversation went right back to the engagement.

Angela put her arm around my waist. "Is this really what you want?" she asked.

"Angela," I sighed, exasperated. "What do you think? You think Jake's forcing me to marry him?"

"It seems awfully sudden," Angela said, looking at me intently. "You're sure it's what you want?"

"I promise," I told her. "I am happier than I've ever been. I love him, Ang. If I was ever sure about anything, I'm sure that I love this guy and I want to be with him forever."

"Bella, it's so soon. You guys are so _young_!" Angela said, concern dripping off every word.

How could I explain it? I couldn't very well say that Jake had imprinted on me, and that imprinting was for keeps. That there wasn't anyone else for me, and there never would be. That he was it, so why wait? How did I put that into words that my friends could understand?

I looked around for Jake and saw him on the outskirts of the crowd, trying to keep a low profile. He caught my eye and winked, one side of his mouth lifting in a little grin. Just making eye contact with him gave me the words I needed. "Angela," I said. "I know in my bones that Jake is the only one for me. I _know_ it. I can't explain how, but believe me, I'm one-hundred percent positive about this. I appreciate you worrying about me, but you don't need to. I'm good, I promise."

Angela smiled at me, seemingly relieved. "Okay, if you tell me you're good then I trust that you're good. And I wish you all the best, Bella. I hope things turn out the way you want them to."

"Thanks," I said earnestly. I hugged her fiercely. "We should probably get going before Jake punches anyone else in the mouth for saying I'm pregnant." We laughed as I turned away.

I grabbed Jake's hand and we went to find Jessica so we could say goodbye. She was in the kitchen, her head bent together with Lauren's, and I easily caught my name and Jake's in their whisperings. I looked up at him and he shrugged, cocking one eyebrow. "Let it go," he whispered to me, shaking his head. "It's gonna get worse before it gets better."

He was right, and it wasn't worth another fight. I said my goodbyes to Lauren and Jess. Lauren largely ignored both Jake and me, but Jess got tears in her eyes as she hugged me.

"Don't be a stranger," she sniffed. "Just because high school is over doesn't mean that we aren't friends anymore. I want to hear more about the wedding."

I nodded, hugging her back, and we were finally able to leave. As we made our way down the driveway, we heard the sounds of Mike puking in the backyard.

"Wow, some great party your friends throw," Jake commented sarcastically as we got in the truck.

"Right?" I agreed. "And wait'll tomorrow when we have to tell Renee. That should be another barrel of laughs."

Jake, who was behind the wheel, pulled me close with his free arm. I snuggled into his warm embrace, my link relaxing comfortingly.

"It'll be fine," he soothed. "Are you worried about that?"

I nodded. "You don't know Renee. She's the most anti-marriage person I know."

"Because of the thing with Charlie?" he asked.

"I guess so. But it always kind of bothered me. I mean, if she hadn't met and married Charlie, she wouldn't have me. I honestly don't know how she'd have lived her adult life without me sometimes."

"Yeah. I don't really know her, but she does seem sort of…flighty," he said. I figured he was trying not to say what he really thought, that Renee was a flake.

"She's a certifiable nut," I laughed. "But she's my mom, so we have to tell her."

Jake kissed the top of my head absently as we waited at a stop light for it to turn green. "I wish you could come sleep in the shed again," he said. I could hear the wistfulness in his tone.

"Me too," I answered. "Why can't I?"

"I don't think you should," Jake said ruefully. "I think your parents would lose their collective minds."

"C'mon, Jake! It's graduation night. No one expects me home early. I could stay out just this once."

"But it's not just this once, Bells. We're skating on thin ice," he said. "I don't want your dad showing up with a gun that could actually do some damage this time."

I made a dismissive gesture. "Be real, Jake, he wouldn't do anything – you know that. Besides, what're they gonna do? Ground us from our own wedding?" I asked, amused.

He grinned, huffing a short laugh. "I still don't think it's a good idea," he said.

"Plus they'll be expecting that we'll be at that party a lot later than this," I offered pleadingly. I was really trying to convince him, dangerously close to begging.

"Nope, can't do it," he decided, somewhat reluctantly. He didn't want to deal with the fallout tomorrow when Charlie and Renee figured out that I hadn't been home all night. But I didn't want to go home and face them alone tomorrow before Jake got there. I knew my mother would be full of accusations; I'd seen the looks she was giving us over dinner.

He saw my dejected expression. "C'mon, Bells, let's not take the chance. Your dad would be pissed. I know it's been a couple of weeks since we snuck out, but I don't think we should push it."

"Push it?" I exclaimed incredulously. "We're getting _married_!"

"I know, and I can't wait. But that's all the more reason we shouldn't do it," he answered smoothly. "Look, we want them to believe we're grownups, don't we? Sneaking out is a high school thing to do. Staying out all night without letting them know is irresponsible."

When did Jake get so grown up? But then, he was the Alpha. He was older than his years. And ever since his first phase, he'd been the voice of reason…except when it came to the bikes.

The bikes.

It suddenly occurred to me that I hadn't seen Jake's bike in a while. For some reason, this completely distracted me from the overnight stay I wanted. I narrowed my eyes, thinking. When had I seen that bike last?

He must have moved it when he rearranged the shed to make our little love nest. But where had he put it? I was mystified. I turned to him as he maneuvered the truck down the street.

"Jake," I said. "When you redid the shed, where did you put your bike?"

"What?" he asked, caught off guard. He must've been preoccupied with trying to convince me not to spend the night in Billy's shed. He seemed cagey all of a sudden. It wasn't like him. His whole demeanor changed.

"Your bike?" I prodded. "Where is it?"

"Why?" he asked shortly.

I looked at him, dumbfounded. He was hiding something from me.

"Because I haven't seen it," I explained. "And I don't remember when I saw you on it last." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Are you hiding something from me?" I asked.

"Bells, I..."

I interrupted him. "Where is it, Jake?" I asked.

"Don't worry about it," he said testily.

Wait a second. Isn't that what he said when...?

"Jake, did you _sell your bike_ to buy me this ring?" I asked, holding my left hand out so there'd be no confusion.

"What made you think of that?" he asked, answering my question with a question. But I wasn't settling for that.

"I was just thinking how you've always been the responsible one, except when it came to the bikes. And that reminded me that I haven't seen your bike in a long time. So what gives, Jake? Where is it?"

He rolled his eyes, sighing. "Okay, Bells, don't freak out. Yeah, I sold it. Got a lot for it too. Enough for the ring and maybe a security deposit on an apartment." He stared straight ahead at the road.

"Who did you sell it to?" I asked gently.

"What's the difference?" he exploded. "I sold it and it's gone. The decision was made a long time ago. I don't even care, so can we just drop it?"

"Jake…" I reached over and put my hand on his knee. I'd never heard of anything so heartbreakingly sweet in my entire life. He'd sold his bike, the bike he'd repaired so lovingly over a series of months with his own two hands, and used the money to buy me a ring!

"Babe, seriously. Drop it, okay? I don't want to talk about it."

"Why, Jake? Why did you do that? You know I would've married you, ring or not. It makes no difference to me."

His voice was thick as he answered me. "You don't get it, Bells. You're always so literal. I didn't buy the ring to get you to marry me. I bought it to prove something. To prove that this marriage means everything to me – that _you _mean everything to me. And to prove to our dads that I'm capable of supporting you. What was the first question Charlie asked after he saw the ring? 'How did you pay for it?' What am I supposed to say to that? Tell him I sell drugs? Tell him Billy gave it to me? No, I wanted him – them – to know that I bought it with my money. Money that I got myself. And I didn't have the job with Sam yet, so where would I get money? It was more to prove to them – and prove to myself – that I can support you whatever happens." We were at Charlie's house now, the truck parked at the curb in the dark. He turned to me, his eyes too bright.

"You don't have to prove anything to me, Jake," I told him.

"I know," he said. "But I had something to prove to our families. And to myself. If I could give that bike up – I knew this was real. And guess what, Bells? I didn't even care. I _don't_ care. I'd sell a thousand bikes if it meant I could be with you always."

"I love you more than anything," I told him, throwing my arms around his neck and burying my face in his shoulder. His arms went around me, pulling me even closer.

"I love you more than _every_thing," he whispered. A tiny laugh escaped my throat. Of course he had to one-up me. But then his mouth was on mine and I forgot about everything but his hot lips and his sweet, warm tongue. I couldn't wait to be married to this man.

He finally walked me to the door. As we kissed goodnight on the porch, the light came on and Charlie's face appeared at the window.

"God, does that guy ever quit?" Jake asked rhetorically.

"That reminds me, Jake," I said, looking up at him. "Can you be here early tomorrow? Like around seven? Renee is an early riser, and I know she's going to start in immediately. I want you here for moral support."

"Seven it is," he agreed readily.

Reluctantly, I let him leave and went into the house, where Charlie waited. "How was the party?" he asked, as if he hadn't been spying for the past several minutes.

"Okay," I answered evasively. I couldn't very well tell the chief about Jake punching Mike's drunken face, or that everyone there was three sheets to the wind. "I think Jake got into an argument with Mike Newton."

"Kid's kind of a hothead, isn't he, Bells? You really think it's wise to get married?" Charlie threw this out there at least once a day. Until the knot was tied, I didn't think he'd stop. But after hearing what Jake had gone through to get the ring for me, I was a little bit sensitive about him. I turned on Charlie in a fury.

"Mike said something about me that Jake didn't like," I told him angrily. "And you should be glad he was protecting me! Mike can be a real jerk sometimes."

Charlie held both hand up in surrender. "Okay, okay, jeez! Calm down, Bridezilla! I'll back off from attacking your _boy_friend."

I gave him a withering look. "Fiancé," I corrected him, turning on my heel and starting up the stairs.

"Hold on a sec, Bells," Charlie said. I stopped and turned expectantly. "How are you planning on telling your mother about this? She was talking about it all night. She knows something's up. It was all I could do to keep her off the trail."

I let my shoulders sag in defeat. "Ugh…," I groaned. "I don't know, Dad. What should I say?"

Charlie sighed. "I don't know," he said. "But… good luck."

I forced a little giggle. "Thanks, Dad. You're a big help." I continued up the stairs, wondering what I'd tell Renee tomorrow. I lay awake all night worrying about it.

Jake was at the front door at 6:50am. Luckily, I hadn't slept a wink so I was wide awake and heard him driving up. I pulled myself out of bed and stumbled down the stairs, opening the door as he walked the front path.

"Hey, babe," he greeted me with his megawatt smile. "Bad night?"

"Horrible," I answered, putting my arms around his waist and groaning. "What are we going to tell her?" I wailed.

"Are you talking about me?" asked Renee, coming up behind Jake. She smiled at him as she skirted us and went into the house. "Tell me what?"

I grabbed Jake's hand and pulled him inside. "Come on," I said. "I'll make coffee."

Renee and Jake made small talk as I made a pot of coffee and took out a tube of cinnamon rolls that I put in a pan and set in the oven to bake. I sat down at the table, taking Jacob's hand just as Charlie came into the kitchen.

"Renee, Jake, Bells," he greeted us. He leaned against the counter and folded his arms in front of himself. "What brings everyone together at this ungodly hour?"

"Charlie, you knew I'd be here early," Renee said dismissively. "I want to talk to Bella about this boy she's been dating so intensely."

"He's not a boy," I said, exasperated.

Renee rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay, this _guy_ you've been dating," she amended.

"We're not just dating, Mrs. Dwyer," Jake volunteered.

"You can call me Renee, Jacob," she said automatically, and then she seemed to realize what he'd said. She looked from Jake to me. "What's that mean – you're not _just _dating?"

"Don't freak out, Mom," I said. I took a deep breath and squeezed Jacob's hand. "It means that we're engaged."

"Oh," Renee said in relief. "I thought it meant you were pregnant or getting married or something."

I looked at Jake. He shrugged at me. "Mom…" I said, tapping the table for emphasis. "I said we're engaged! That means we _are_ getting married."

"Of course it does, sweetie," she said placatingly. "Of course you'll get married. In several years. Maybe. If neither of you gets a better idea." She smiled sweetly, almost sympathetically at me.

Jake chuckled under his breath. Charlie joined him. But I saw nothing funny about what Renee had said.

"No, Mom," I continued patiently, as if she were demented. "We're getting married in August. Of this year."

Renee began laughing, sounding slightly hysterical. "I don't know why I'm laughing, Bella, that is _not_ funny," she said between giggles. "In fact, it's ridiculous. And it's rude to tease your mother."

"Mom, it's true. And _you're_ the one who's not being very polite. I didn't laugh when you told me that you were marrying Phil. Jake and I _are_ getting married."

Renee suddenly stopped laughing and her face looked gray. "Why?" she managed.

"Well," Jake jumped in. "We love each other, and we know we'll never love anyone else."

Renee rolled her eyes and shook her head disparagingly. "You're way too young to know that," she said.

"Why, Mom? Why are we too young?"

"Because…because you just are," she spluttered, getting up and pacing around the room. She ran her hand through her hair. "Things change when you mature! Charlie!?"

Charlie held his hands up just like he had to me last night. "Don't get me in on this," he said. "She knows how I feel about it. But they won't budge."

"Mom, listen," I said gently. I was well-versed in talking Renee down. Granted, I was usually talking her down from some hare-brained idea she had and not one that I'd had, but I still knew what to do. Talk soft and make eye contact, explain using soothing tones, and work toward making her understand simple logic. "Look at me. Jake and I started out as best friends. Best friends!"

"Honey," she attempted to interrupt.

"No, hear me out," I said. "We're still best friends. When Edward left and I went all…catatonic, Jake was there to pull me out of it. And then, well, we just…fell in love."

"People fall in love all the time," she protested. "That doesn't mean they have to marry each other when they're still _children_!"

"We're not children," I said patiently. Suddenly, the words I'd said to Angela came back to me. That was the truth and from my heart, so maybe if I told the same thing to Renee, she would understand. "Mom, I've never been as sure of anything as I am about Jake. I love him more than anything." I considered what Jake had said last night. "More than _everything_. He's the best thing that ever happened to me, and I want us to be together always."

"Sweetie, everyone your age feels that way. But there are _laws_ to prevent these things!"

Okay, that didn't work. And now I was starting to get mad. "There's no law against marrying your fiancé, Mom!" I said.

"There's a law against a sixteen year old marrying anyone!" she insisted.

"Uh, there's no law like that, Renee. The age of consent in Washington is sixteen, and Billy has signed permission for Jake to get married. And Bella is an adult. Now if you can get the kids to move to Nebraska, you might have a prayer because Bella won't be an adult there for another four months. But they have their minds made up, Renee. Just accept it. Nothing you say will make a difference."

Renee stared at him for a moment, and then her shoulders sagged and she sighed long and loud, collapsing into a kitchen chair. "Is that coffee ready yet, Bella?" she asked.

I jumped up and got her a cup of coffee. It looked like Charlie's words were going to have an impact. Who would've figured that Charlie would be the one to help me convince Renee that marrying Jake was – well, if not okay, at least marginally acceptable? The timer for the cinnamon rolls went off too, so I took them out and set them on the table too. "Coffee for anyone else?" I asked.

Charlie and Jake both asked for some, so I poured three more cups and brought them over to the table. Renee seemed to have had a few minutes to recover, and when I finally sat down, I reached for her hand.

"Are you okay, Mom?" I asked.

"Well, I'm a little shocked, sweetie," she answered with a small smile. "All your life I've warned you against this kind of thing. But I know you'll do what you want, and I understand. Just please, think hard about this before you make a decision that you might regret later."

I sighed. "Mom, it doesn't matter when we get married. We love each other. We respect each other. And even if we waited, those things wouldn't change."

She shrugged. "Okay," she said. "I don't exactly approve, but at least I see that you really want this, and that makes me think that you'll at least try really hard to make it work. Marriage is great, but it can be a lot of heartbreak and a lot of work. Just so you know."

I smiled. "Thank you, Mom," I said. It was the best I was going to get from her. I knew she'd never just acquiesce. There would always be a caveat with her because of the way her first marriage had gone.

Though she wasn't one-hundred percent on-board, Renee predictably wanted to take me gown shopping. Jake said he could probably go in to the garage and finish up some work for Sam, so he left and Renee and I prepared for a day of what she called 'retail therapy.' We drove to Port Angeles and went to the only shop I'd ever been to, the department store where Jess and Angela had gotten their prom dresses last year. We looked at every white dress we could find, and Renee helped me pick out a knee length, ivory lace sundress with a blue satin sash. It was pretty, reasonably priced, and could be worn again. Renee paid for it, along with a pair of ivory satin pumps and a pretty costume jewelry set consisting of a faux diamond pendant and matching earrings.

I was a little overwhelmed. When I'd tried the dress on and peered fearfully into the mirror, the girl who stared back at me looked like a bride. An actual bride. Holy crow – was I really going to be a bride? The thought was staggering. And when Renee came up behind me and put a small, waist length veil on my head, I nearly passed out. That was me – and I looked decidedly bridal. It was surreal.

Renee must have caught the deer-in-the-headlights look on my face, because she pulled me over to a mannequin dressed in a black suit and took a picture of me on her phone. When she showed it to me, I instantly calmed down. It was much easier to accept the nuptial getup when I was standing next to Jake – and it was simple for my mind to replace the fake mannequin face with Jake's. He was in my head all the time anyway, and it made me realize that I was going into this with my best friend and that we'd be in it together. Everything would be okay.

"Are you planning to ask one of your friends to stand up?" Renee asked as we waited in the checkout line.

"I hadn't really thought about it," I told her truthfully. "But I couldn't just ask Angela because Jess would be hurt. And I won't ask Jess if I can't ask Ang."

"Why don't you ask them both?" she suggested.

I shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know, Mom. It's going to be a really small wedding. It seems weird if we have two bridesmaids when there will only be like thirty or so guests."

"Have you and Jacob talked about it?"

"Not really," I admitted. "I didn't even think of it, to be honest. Bridesmaids, huh?"

Renee nodded, smiling. "Yes, of course, baby. You need to do some planning."

I shrugged again. "Okay," I said. "I'll talk to Jake about it." I didn't want Renee taking over the wedding planning. I'd be walking down the aisle in some kind of organic batik dress with a bouquet of crystals to the music of balalaikas and Theremins. It was better to play it safe and do the simple wedding Jake and I wanted.

But what kind of wedding _did_ we want? Should there be a theme? Like…I don't know, a beach wedding? A country wedding? Native American special? It all seemed so cliché. Maybe we'd just have the theme be marriage. I chucked to myself as I thought of it.

Jake could wear a tux and top hat, and I'd be in some giant hoop-skirted confection with a tiara on my head and a veil that trailed behind me. All the wolves would be groomsmen and I'd have the imprints, Jake's sisters, and my Forks girlfriends stand up for me. We'd have the big three tiered cake, heart shaped of course, and Jake would shove it in my face. Then I'd put the apron on and everyone would have to pay to dance with me.

UGH!

No, there was no way I was letting anyone plan this except Jake and me. Suddenly I was anxious to get back to him. The link pulled me back towards La Push, and it seemed that the closer we got to the actual wedding, the stronger the link became. I drove back to Forks in record time, dropped my mom off with Phil at the hotel, and made my way to Sam's garage.

It was Saturday, so when I walked in the place was deserted. Loud music blared from somewhere. An old car from the early 90s had its hood up, and I could see a pair of jean clad legs standing in front of it. I snuck up on him.

When I popped my head out from behind the raised hood, he seemed to jump a little and I realized it might not be the best idea to sneak up on a werewolf. But his face broke into a huge grin as he grabbed a rag and wiped the grease from his hands.

"Hey, baby! Thought you were shopping!" he said happily.

"We finished early," I told him. "And I'm here for a reason. My mom told me we need to plan. For the wedding."

He disappeared behind the hood again. "A plan? For what? We just get married. Walk up the aisle, say 'I do,' live happily ever after. Right?"

I laughed. "Yeah, I know, but seriously. We need to decide if we're having any bridesmaids or groomsmen. Order a cake. Stuff like that."

"Order a cake?" he asked. "No, Sue and Leah are making the cake. And as far as people to stand up…well, I guess I need Quil and Embry. You can have your Forks girlfriends, I guess, huh?"

Well, that was easy. "What about clothes? What are you planning on wearing?"

"I guess that suit I wore to Harry's funeral," he answered.

"Oh," I said, at a loss.

He poked his head around the car hood. "What's the matter, babe?"

I shrugged. "I was sort of looking forward to planning with you. I even bought a _Bride's_ magazine on the way here."

He laughed. "If you want to plan, Bells, we'll plan. Want me to finish up here? I can be done in like fifteen minutes if I don't start another car."

"Are you sure you don't care?" I asked.

"Come here, Bells." He pulled me to him and buried his lips in my hair. "You wanna do some planning? Then we'll plan. I'm not even supposed to be here today. Let's go to my place."

One afternoon of planning was all it took. With the help of the Bride's magazine lists and my cell phone, we set up the whole wedding. The rehearsal dinner would be at The Lodge, since they were willing to give Billy a discount. Emily had volunteered to take pictures. Sue and Leah were, indeed, making the cake. We'd called our attendants and asked them to stand up – and even though it was a little tacky to ask over the phone, Jess and Ang were thrilled, and Embry and Quil readily accepted. Sam had volunteered himself and Paul to DJ, since Emily would be busy with the pictures. We'd called Jess' father, and Reverend Stanley told us he'd be happy to officiate. Kim, Emily, and Leah were planning the dinner and would cook it at the Tribal Center. And I'd do the flowers myself.

It wasn't that hard to plan a wedding when there wasn't a lot of money involved. Our choices were somewhat limited. When we were finished, Jake put the lists and the magazine away in his dresser drawer. "We're done, babe," he said. "Sooo…I've been waiting to show you something."

"Show me something?" I asked, confused.

"Yeah, I promised myself I'd show you as soon as you graduated. You've been too busy to think lately. But now you've got some time. "Come on," he said, leading me down the hall and out the kitchen door.

We got in the truck and Jake drove down the evergreen lined dirt roads of the rez. I was confused. What was so important that Jake wanted to show me when I wasn't 'too busy to think'?" What did I need to think about? A niggling worry began, but I crushed it down. We'd just finished planning our _wedding day_, for heaven's sake! We'd given The Lodge Billy's credit card number over the phone for a deposit on the rehearsal dinner. Jake couldn't be throwing a monkey wrench in the works now, could he?

We drove for a while, seemingly in circles, as Jake chattered on about the garage, summer school, and the wedding. I listened but didn't add much. I was starting to get worried.

Finally he pulled over and looked at me seriously. "Okay, Bells, are you ready?" he asked.

"Ready for what?" I shrugged, forcing indifference. But then I gave it up. "Jake, what's up? You've got me on pins and needles here!"

"Sorry," he said contritely. "I'm a little nervous myself. In case you haven't noticed, it took us a half hour to get here and the place is only ten minutes from Billy's." He grinned self-consciously at me.

"Here?" I asked, looking out the window. There was nothing here but woods.

"Yep," he confirmed. He opened his door and got out. "Come on," he said through the open window.

I followed him. He led me down a barely-there path through a stand of trees. In a little clearing not far from the road stood a cabin. Rustic to say the least.

To my surprise, he went straight to the door and opened the padlock holding it shut. He glanced over his shoulder, his face blanching. "Uh, you ready?" he asked. I didn't answer. What the hell…?

He swung the door open and walked in, beckoning me with his hand. "Come here, Bells. Take a look."

The first thing I noticed about the cabin was that it needed airing out. It was tiny, empty, and chilly. Then, as I watched, fascinated, the bare walls fell away to reveal warm colors, a crackling fire, cozy furniture. My mind was making the little cabin our home.

I squinted my eyes and looked at him, confused. He stared at me hopefully, carefully, his bottom lip between his teeth in trepidation. He raised his eyebrows once, shrugging.

"Is this what I think it is?" I asked.

"If you think it could be our new place, then yeah. Whaddya think?"

I huffed a short laugh, overwhelmed. This guy was unbelievable. How was a sixteen year old able to plan so completely? "Whose is it?" I asked.

"It's ours if we want it, but it belongs to Lee-hana."

Lee-hana. The healer – who had helped save us twice now. Jake continued. "She gave it to us…if you want it."

"_Gave_ it to us!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah, and look!" He pulled me around the corner. From the outside, and from the front room, it wasn't obvious that the cabin was more than one room. But as he pulled me further inside, I saw that it was L-shaped. I took in a tiny kitchen with two very small bedrooms off to the side. Tucked between the bedrooms was a bathroom – tub and all. "See? It's got a kitchen, and believe it or not, there's running water and electricity…" He turned the overhead kitchen light on and off. "And gas heat. Lee-hana lived here when she was married. But now she lives with her daughter and this place sits vacant. The daughter doesn't want it, and Lee-hana thought we could use it. Soo?"

I had to laugh at his attempts to impersonate a real estate agent. "So…what? Are you asking me if I want it? Because the answer is yes! We can make it into a little house, right? Like paint the walls and stuff?"

Jake's face lit up. "You mean it? You want to live here? It's not very glamorous. But yeah, it would be our place. We can fix it up however we want!" He was beside himself with excitement.

"And," I said, coming toward him with my best attempt at acting sultry. "It's really far back in the woods, so no one will hear us…" I kissed his ear and whispered, "Scream."

"They won't be able to hear you screaming my name, but baby, my howl can be heard all _over_ the rez."

"Naturally," I murmured, pulling him in for a kiss. "You're the Alpha, after all."

He kissed me back, and I could feel the smile on his lips. "Shit, Bells, you just make me happier and happier," he said, closing his eyes and running his nose across my cheek.

"Back atcha, Black," I answered, my hands clenched in his hair. "Now…let's christen this place."


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Well, here it is...the final chapter. I will write an epilogue if there's enough interest, checking in with Jake and Bella a few years down the line - but you have to tell me if you want it. I apologize in advance for offending any French people - no offense intended regarding Jake's shivaree (or you may spell it_ chivari_) comment. It has been a blast writing for you guys and I treasure each and every review, follow and favorite that you've given me. Thank you all so much for staying with me through this. And a particularly special thanks to Kissa_621 for her tireless pre-reading and hand holding throughout this whole process. I couldn't have done it without you, K - and I mean that!**

** Love you all!**

CHAPTER 29

With the wedding basically planned and something to occupy us, the summer flew by. I'd spend the day in the cabin, painting and decorating, then the evenings at work. Jake spent the day at school and work, and the evenings at the cabin doing structural work like repairing drywall, installing light fixtures, and hanging new doors and insulated windows. He'd used some of the leftover money he'd been saving from the sale of the motorcycle to buy some windows, the paint, and other supplies. He had the pack over a few times to help him build a small deck off the kitchen.

And one Saturday afternoon when Jake and I showed up early to start on the bedroom painting, the pack and the imprints were there and they were throwing a "couples shower" for us. Billy and Charlie showed up as soon as the food came out.

It was a surprise for both of us. The pack members gave us a barbeque grill and a small patio table with chairs and an umbrella. It was our very first furniture. The imprints chipped in on a set of outdoor cooking utensils. Jake already had every tool he'd ever need, but his father had gotten him a tool organization system so he could keep them in drawers and hanging on the wall of the double-size resin shed that Charlie gave us.

I felt a swell of pride as I watched Jake show everyone around our little home-to-be. Charlie complimented him on the work he'd done, and Jake seemed excited to show Billy the ramp he'd put on the deck so Billy could join us for parties without having to go through the cabin. Even though we didn't have any furniture yet except the patio set, the cabin was starting to look a lot like a home.

Unfortunately, I had to work that night, but Jake waited up for me and cooked me chicken breasts on the grill when I got back to the rez at 11:30 that night. We ate our first meal in the little cabin outside on the deck furniture in the dark. There was no refrigerator in which to put the leftovers, so Jake finished them himself. We used paper plates and plastic forks. It was the best meal I'd eaten in forever.

Even though we didn't want to, we always went home at night. We didn't want our first night in the cabin to happen until we were married. Plus, there really was no furniture or appliances. It wasn't very comfortable yet.

We took to getting up early on Thursday and hitting every garage sale in a twenty mile radius. We'd go to the ritzier areas of the Olympic Peninsula and search for bargains. Slowly but surely, we filled the house with our finds. We found a whole bedroom set: queen size bed frame, matching dressers, and a pair of nightstands for only $75. Jake unearthed a Formica kitchen table with six vinyl chairs, very 50s-ish, for only fifteen bucks. We got a microwave for five dollars! We bought a few end tables and a coffee table, a couple of lamps, and a bookcase for all my volumes.

I didn't care that everything we had was used. It was fun searching through the junk to find the treasures. We looked at things, planning where we'd put them and adding scenarios. When he found the cool floor lamps for the living room, he called me over from the stack of horrible artwork I was perusing.

"Bells, check these out. We need lamps in the living room, right?" he asked. I turned to see him holding two floor lamps with black faux iron stems and futuristic looking sixties atomic-print lampshades. Those were a pale sea green with black accents.

I walked past the homeowner and met Jake by the lamps. "These are great, Jake!" I enthused. "You think they work?"

"We'll ask if we can test 'em before we leave," he said, picking them up. "So we'll put them in the living room? By the piano?"

"Oh, I think they'd be better near the harp," I argued. "I mean, little Mercedes needs the light on the harp music stand."

"No, Xander needs light more. The piano is in such a dark corner!" he said.

"Well," I said as we made our way to the little card table at the front of the garage. "Maybe that trip to Europe where he played for all the kings on the continent _spoiled_ him somewhat!"

"If Mercedes would practice as much as Xander does, she'd have been invited to Europe too," he said. "I guess we'll give one to Mercedes and one to Xander." He set the lamps down and turned to the guy sitting at the card table. "Can we test these?" he asked. The guy indicated a power strip on the floor. Jake plugged them in and turned them on, squinting as the bright light assaulted his eyes. "We'll take 'em," he announced to the guy. "You'll take three bucks each, right?" He pulled the money out of his wallet.

"They're five," the guy said doubtfully.

"Oh, five for the two? Great!" Jake put one dollar back in his pocket.

"No, five each," the guy argued.

"Yeah, but you'll take three each, won't you?" Jake smiled his dazzling grin, but the guy shook his head. So I took over.

"Hi, my husband is crazy," I said, pushing Jake aside and smiling like I'd just won the lottery. Everyone always believed he was my husband; Jacob looked and acted twenty-five years old. "We know they're five each. I can tell these were really expensive when they were new. He's always such a guy!" I rolled my eyes for the seller's benefit and turned to Jake. "I'll pay the other four dollars with my tip money, Jake. I really want these."

The guy took pity on me. "Aw, you can have 'em for three each," he said reluctantly. "And by the way, you look great for having two kids."

"Thanks," I said graciously, taking one of the lamps while Jake carried the other back to the truck.

"Good luck!" the guy called as we climbed in. I waved back at him as Jacob grunted derisively from the driver's seat.

"Calm down, dude, she's mine," he muttered.

"Do you believe that guy?" I asked. "I look great for having two kids? What's that supposed to mean?" I laughed. "How do I look if I didn't have _any_ kids?"

"The guy's a schmuck, Bells," he said. "You're amazing no matter how many kids you have." His eyes glinted with mirth.

"Uh, I don't have _any_kids, Jacob." We hadn't really discussed this at all – and here was the perfect intro to the conversation.

"Not yet," he grinned.

"So what's that mean?" I asked. "That you want kids someday, right?"

"Of course I want kids someday, Bells. You want kids someday, don't you?" He glanced at me as he drove.

"Yes!" I insisted. "But we don't need to decide anything about it now, do we?"

"Like how many, and when, and whether we're going to name them Mercedes and Xander?" he asked.

"Yeah," I giggled.

"That's easy – ten kids, starting in a year and every nine months thereafter, and yes, all the girls will be named Mercedes and all the boys will be named Xander. Okay?"

"Okay," I agreed. I knew what he meant. It was too soon to even think about. I could handle that.

"Good. Because, jeez, Bells. I mean, I know I look older, but I'm six_teen_, remember?"

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'm only eighteen, Jake. I don't want kids anytime soon either," I laughed.

The summer marched on, and before we knew it, the little cabin was ready and we were a week away from the wedding. We'd gotten the fridge and stove on craigslist. We'd bought a new mattress from a warehouse store, and the bridal shower had taken care of our needs as far as dishes, cookware, flatware, cooking utensils, towels and sheets. Jake had even found a window air-conditioner for the bedroom, just in case I got too hot sleeping next to him. He thought of everything.

Everything was ready. Jess and Angela had their bridesmaids' dresses, bought from the same shop where I'd found my wedding dress. They were light blue, a color that always reminded me of Jake because it was the color of sunny skies. Embry and Quil were going to wear matching black suits, and Jake, with Billy's financial help, had actually rented a tuxedo. Charlie and Billy were going to wear tuxes too. Renee and Phil were flying in on Thursday, and most of the town of Forks and almost the entire rez would be at the wedding. My idea that there'd be thirty guests was way off. All the Forks townspeople had to be invited to the chief's daughter's wedding. And everyone on the rez wanted an invitation to the wedding of the future head of the Council. There were at least one hundred guests now.

Sue, Leah, and Kim had already bought most of the food and were busily cooking and storing the dishes that could be made ahead. The Tribal Center had two pig roasting setups, and that was going to be our main course. If it rained, there was enough room at the Tribal Center to seat everyone – not necessarily comfortably, but there was enough room. We were really hoping for a nice day so we'd be able to hold the wedding on First Beach.

The night before the wedding, Jake and I stayed at the cabin late, putting finishing touches here and there. Tomorrow would be our first night in our new home, and we wanted it to be special. We stocked the fridge with some late-night snacks and the makings for breakfast for our morning after.

Afterwards, we made the bed with the new sheets we'd been given as a shower gift at my actual bridal shower. That had taken place a few weeks ago, thrown by Jessica and Angela and attended by all my Forks friends. As I pulled the covers taut, I caught Jacob smiling at me from the foot of the bed.

"What?" I asked self-consciously.

"Nothing," he replied. "You just look so domestic and house-wifey." I huffed a humorless laugh and he quirked his head to the side. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing's wrong," I said. "It's just that…the night before my wedding I'd prefer to look sexy or something instead of…'house wifey.'"

He walked over to me and put his hot palms on either side of my face. "Baby, are you okay?" he asked sincerely.

I nodded, even though I…wasn't. Okay, that is. I was scared and nervous. We were too young. What were we thinking? I'd been so caught up in the planning and the preparations for the wedding that I hadn't taken the time to think about the marriage. Me and Jake, married? It sounded almost laughably stupid now. Jake watched my face as his went from puzzled to troubled.

"Something _is_ wrong," he accused. "Tell me, Bells."

"It's just…," I stammered.

"You're scared?" he asked anxiously. He'd said that to me once before, and it brought me right back to the beginning, the day I'd jumped off the cliff. I remembered when Jake and I had parked the truck outside Charlie's house and he'd told me how he felt about me, and I'd heard Edward's phantom voice tell me to "Be happy."

And I _was_ happy. I was happier than I'd been in my entire life, happier even than I'd been when I was head-over-heels in love with Edward. And just like that, with two words, the fear and anxiety evaporated.

I looked up at him, and his face tugged at my heart. He was so worried, so afraid that I was going to pull the plug on the wedding. As I opened my mouth to reassure him, he blurted, "Bella, please. Don't do this – please tell me what's bugging you."

I grabbed him around his waist. "Jacob, you know I love you," I said.

His head fell back as he groaned, his hands falling to his sides. "Oh, no! No, Bells! Don't do this! You don't want to get _married_ now?"

"No, Jake, wait, that's not it!" I said frantically.

Jake stepped back, running his hands through his hair roughly. "I knew it! I knew it was too good to be true! Fuck me, it's always the same story. I'll never fuckin win!"

I cautiously stepped closer, wary of the wolf. But he had it under control; I could tell by his eyes. I carefully put my hands on his face, the same way he'd been holding me a moment ago. "Jake, of course I want to marry you now. We're young, yes. We're stupid and we're going to make tons of mistakes. But I want those experiences to be with _you_, no one else. Okay? Stop worrying. It's you – it will always be you." I smiled as I said it, because I was happy and because I knew I was making him happy.

The intensity left his expression and all that was left was tenderness. "God _damn_, Bells. Don't scare me like that!" He bent to kiss me.

"Why are you always so paranoid?" I wondered, pulling away to stare into his eyes.

"Because you're too good for me!" he explained forcefully, his brows meeting in frustration.

"Ja-_cob_!" I said sternly. "I don't want to hear you talk that way about the man I love ever again, do you understand?"

His eyes softened and one side of his mouth lifted in a smart-ass grin. "Man?" he repeated.

"Yeah," I whispered, stretching up to kiss his stubbly chin. "You're my man. You like that, huh?" I smiled against his neck.

"Yeah I do," he said gruffly, putting one finger under my chin and lifting my lips to his. "A lot," he breathed as his mouth covered mine.

He dropped me off about an hour later. We were both frustrated and eager for the wedding night. We hadn't been intimate for almost a month, since Jake thought we should 'save it for the big day.' It was starting to take its toll – we were both a little short with each other as we said goodbye. Being horny will do that to you.

"See you tomorrow," he said glumly.

"It was your idea!" I accused.

This seemed to appease him somewhat. "I know, babe. I can't wait, you know that," he said with a smile in his voice.

"Me either," I grumbled crabbily, opening the car door amid sounds of his laughter. I smiled a touch myself as I sauntered up the walk, giving him a little show by swinging my ass as I went.

"You're killing me, Swan!" he said. I winked at him over my shoulder.

"Tomorrow…" I promised, unlocking the door and disappearing inside. I chuckled to myself listening to him gun the Rabbit as he drove away.

The day of the wedding dawned cloudy, but dry. At least it was better than rain. I rolled out of my bed in Charlie's house for the last time and stumbled to the bathroom to begin getting ready. _For my wedding._

I took a shower, shaving my legs, armpits, and…ahem!...certain other areas that needed a little grooming. In the steamy post-shower atmosphere of the bathroom, I peered into the mirror and plucked out a few stray eyebrow hairs leftover from my waxing yesterday. Quickly, I applied a thin layer of moisturizer, then went back down the hall to my bedroom. It wasn't time to get dressed for the wedding yet, but it was almost time for Renee to show up so she could come with me to my hair appointment.

Before I could pull on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt, Renee was skipping up the sidewalk to Charlie's front door, humming the wedding march. Phil followed her, not quite as chipper at 8:30 in the morning.

Charlie pulled the door open before I got down the stairs. He said, "What are you so happy about? You don't want this any more than I do."

He didn't know I was standing on the stairs behind him, and neither did Renee when she answered, "Ah, Charlie, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!" she said, typical of her laissez-faire attitude about life. "Stop being so uptight!" She swept past him and then saw me standing on the stairs.

"Here comes the bride!" she announced. I laughed.

"My appointment is at nine, Mom. And it'll take fifteen minutes to get to the salon. Have you eaten?"

"Yes, I've eaten," she answered. "Have _you_? Because that's much more important than whether or not _I've_ eaten. You're the one who'll need your strength later!"

"Mom!" I cried, scandalized, as Charlie and Phil moaned in tandem.

She looked around, surprised, then burst out laughing. "That's _not_ what I meant," she giggled. "That came out wrong."

"Come on, Mom, I need to get my hair done," I said in exasperation, continuing down the stairs and passing Phil and Charlie.

"How is Jake wearing his hair for the wedding?" Renee asked as we went out the door. The question got loud guffaws from Charlie and Phil. Renee looked at me as we walked down the sidewalk. "What did I say?" she asked innocently.

Jake's hair had been a subject of ridicule by Charlie since he'd started growing it out. While he tolerated the long hair of everyone else on the rez, including Billy, for some reason he took malicious joy in giving Jake as much grief as possible about his hair. It fell between his chin and his shoulders now, and he was planning to wear it in a ponytail for the wedding, as far as I knew. But I also knew Charlie would have a field day with the question Renee had just asked. He and Phil shouted suggestions down the driveway as Renee and I pulled out.

"Maybe he should get it curled!" Charlie called.

"Permed!" suggested Phil.

"Or one of those, whaddya call 'em? Updo's?"

"How 'bout a French braid?"

Renee turned to me with a remorseful look. "Sorry, baby," she apologized. "I didn't mean to bring that on."

I forced a laugh. "Mom, it's okay. Dad would've found something to say about his hair anyway. At least he got it out before he saw Jake. And I don't care, anyway. Jacob looks amazing with his long hair. I love it."

Renee reached over and patted my knee. "Good for you, baby." I spent the rest of the ride listening to pearls of wisdom from my mother, who was utterly unqualified to share them.

The hair appointment took about an hour, then it was back home. The wedding was supposed to start at two. That left me three hours to get ready. It wouldn't take me nearly that long.

But suddenly, Emily was there, and she wanted pre-ceremony photos. And then Jess and Angela showed up, looking beautiful in their sky blue dresses. Charlie was dressed in his tux, and Renee and Phil had their wedding clothes on. It was abruptly time for me to finish dressing.

Renee and I, along with my bridesmaids, climbed the stairs and entered my room. Before I knew what was happening, Renee had my dress out of the closet. "Did you buy new underwear like I told you to, Bella?" she asked. My friends giggled.

"Yes, Mom," I replied in a tortured tone. "If you turn around, I can change into it."

Obligingly, they all turned their backs – thank God, since I didn't want them to see the landscaping I'd done down below in the shower today – as I changed into the pure white satin bra and panties I'd bought. The girls helped me get the dress over my head without ruining my updo, a simple French twist with cascading curls from my temples. Then they converged in earnest. Jess did my makeup, commenting the entire time that she'd been waiting for a year and a half to get me to let her do it. Angela painted my finger and toe nails a pale pink. Renee sat watching and trying to hold back tears.

When they were done, Renee did the honors of affixing the fingertip-length veil into my hair. Attached to a silver comb, it framed my face and flowed down my back. I looked in the mirror, not knowing what to expect. The woman who looked back at me was gorgeous, love warming her face from pretty to beautiful. I sighed happily. I finally looked like I belonged with the incredibly handsome Jacob Black.

I was deemed acceptable to appear in photos. We went downstairs and Emily directed several pictures – photos of Charlie and me, of Renee and me, of the three of us, and of me with my bridesmaids. Dozens of pictures of me alone, holding my flowers, smiling, looking 'thoughtful.' Emily left no stone unturned.

I asked what the guys were up to and if Emily had been to Jake's yet. She shook her head at my question. "Yeah, I went over there. He looks nice, don't worry. Last I saw him, he was sound asleep on the couch. He doesn't have an ounce of worry or nervousness, Bella. Sam is more jumpy than Jake," she said.

"What does Sam have to be nervous about?" I asked.

She just smiled enigmatically and shook her head. "No reason," she said. "But, Bella, we should probably get going."

"Already?" I was startled. It was over an hour until the ceremony and I didn't want to take a chance on seeing Jake – since it was considered bad luck and all.

"Well, don't you want to check on the food and stuff?" Emily asked. "The cake is already at the Tribal Center too. You can at least have a look at it."

I agreed to that – I was dying to see the cake. To my surprise and utter embarrassment, Charlie wanted to drive me over in the squad car.

"You must be kidding!" I protested.

"Hey," he said. "It's a man's prerogative to drive his daughter to her wedding. Sorry that the only car I have is Old Blue and your car is a pile of junk."

"It's not a pile of junk," I grumbled as I took up my flowers and made my way out to the cruiser. It was worse for Jessica and Angela. They had to sit side by side in the back, separated from us by the cage. I was beyond humiliated, but Charlie grinned the whole way to La Push and Jess and Ang seemed to find it funny. When we finally crossed the border onto the reservation, Charlie put on the lights and sirens. I wanted to die.

We arrived at the Tribal Center, where the cars in the lot betrayed the fact that dozens of Quileute women were already here, preparing for my wedding. I was humbled by their blatant acceptance and generosity, and couldn't help but wonder if it was for me or just because I was marrying Jacob Ephraim Black, Successor to the Chief and Future Head of the Tribal Council. It didn't matter one way or the other – I was here to stay.

We went in, following Emily to the kitchen. The banquet room stood empty, everyone hopeful that the weather would hold. The forecast said nothing about rain, but we'd learned never to count on the weatherman here in the Olympic Peninsula. The plan was to set up on the beach, but there was another setup waiting inside the banquet hall, and if it actually began to rain, the pack and the imprints were going to come back and quickly set up ahead of the guests. I silently prayed that the weather would stay dry.

The kitchen was packed with dark haired women and bustling like a well-oiled machine. Sue saw us come in and cried, "The bride!"

Immediately everyone surrounded me with good wishes, anxious to show me what they'd prepared for us. There was a white-and-yellow-corn casserole that Sue said was a traditional wedding dish, spicy sweet potato fries, biscuits, and baked mac and cheese. The smell of the pork roasting on the spits outside permeated the air with a rich, delicious aroma. Sue leaned over to me and said in a conspiratorial tone, "The pack wanted baked beans to go with the feast, but I drew the line. I don't think beans are exactly wedding fare." We giggled together at the absurdity of the pack.

Sue showed me around, introducing me to the women who were generously giving their time for Jake and me. Lee-hana was bent over a steaming pot of pasta for the mac and cheese, and she gave me a happy smile as we passed, reaching over to squeeze my hand. It was the first time I'd seen her since she'd given us the cabin, and I stopped to thank her.

I grasped one of her hands in both of mine. "Lee-hana, I can't begin to thank you for giving Jake and me the cabin. You've done more than words can say for us," I said with a smile, thinking how inadequate it sounded.

"You will be happy there," she told me, a sparkle in her dark eyes. "My husband Kwali and I lived there many happy years."

I hugged her spontaneously. "I know we will," I said fiercely into the little woman's ear. "And thank you again." She laughed.

"You are welcome, child," she said.

The cake stood on a table by itself, a towering confection of buttercream and fondant. Someone was very talented; there were swirls of icing that looked like lace interspersed with tiny sky blue and turquoise flowers. Two pure white porcelain wolves, forever posed with their heads thrown back in a twin howl, decorated the top of the cake. Sue smiled as she leaned in to me. "Wolves mate for life, you know," she said sagely. I blinked back tears.

After touring the kitchen and the banquet area, Charlie huffed in boredom. "Are you gals about done? I'd like to get over to Billy's and see what's up there." I knew he meant that he needed a few beers on board before he gave his daughter away.

"Go, Dad," I told him, giving him a little push toward the door. "I'll see you at the end of the aisle. We've got it covered from here." He looked relieved.

"I want to go to the beach and get a few shots of Bella there anyway," Emily said. We all piled in her tiny car as Charlie escaped to the cruiser.

Emily drove to First Beach and we all got out and picked our way down to the shore. The pack had laid planks along the way so that everyone would be able to get down to the beach easily. When we got to the beach, my breath caught in my throat.

It looked like a fairy tale. Rachel, Leah and Kim were there, dressed up for the occasion, draping tulle netting over tall poles stuck into the sand. The poles were topped with round paper lanterns, unlit of course, in blue. The netting draped languidly from pole to pole, down the aisle and around the seating area.

The seating area consisted of several round tables covered in white tablecloths and surrounded with white chairs. The center pieces that Angela, Jess and I had made of cheap glass vases and silk flowers we'd found at the dollar store were transformed in this setting to breathtakingly beautiful focal points on each table. The girls had outdone themselves, tying trailing ribbons in all shades of blue to the centerpieces so the ribbons flowed prettily across the tables and down the sides.

Paul stood off to the side, attending to a long table with musical equipment on it. He looked incredible in black dress pants and a white shirt open at the neck. His tie hung untied around his neck, framing either side of his burly chest. He caught my eye and gave me a sneaky little wink and a nasty smile and I couldn't help but smile back. Paul was Paul and he'd never change, imprint or no imprint. A big truck sporting the logo to Sam's garage was parked behind the table he'd set up, and all the cords and wires went from Paul's table into the back of the truck.

There was a trailer off to the other side with MEN and WOMEN on the two doors – I was so glad Sue had thought of restrooms. The beach restrooms were pretty disgusting, but these were nice if the pictures from the web site were accurate. Sue had talked Charlie and Renee into springing for those, and I was eternally grateful to her for it.

As I surveyed the scene, tears came to my eyes for the second time that day. "You guys!" I cried happily. The girls turned, seeing me for the first time, and rushed over to talk.

"What do you think?" Leah cried, pink-cheeked and excited.

"It's beautiful," I gushed. "It looks like a story book!"

"Good, that's what we were going for," Kim smiled.

Rachel chimed in. "I mean if you can't marry Prince Charming, you can at least _pretend_like you are!"

We laughed. "Hey, no picking on the groom," I said, sticking up for Jake.

"You wouldn't say that if you saw him now," Rachel said as Paul joined the group. "He's taking a three hour nap."

"I heard," I said, rolling my eyes.

"He's resting up for later," Paul grinned smarmily. Rachel elbowed him savagely in the ribs, which didn't seem to faze him at all. I could feel myself blushing at his implication.

"Bella, you look _beautiful_," Leah said reverently. "Wait till he sees you."

I didn't think I could blush any more, but I felt my face get even hotter so I knew that I was turning scarlet. Rachel laughed. "That completes it; you're the blushing bride," she said.

"Thank you," I said. "And thank you for all you've done. This looks incredible."

"You haven't seen the best part," Angela said, grabbing my hand and pulling me across the sand. It was a lot harder to walk in the sand than it was on the planks. I was glad the guys had thought of it.

I suddenly realized where Ang was dragging me. On the sand stood the gnarled white driftwood tree on which Jake and I had spent hours sitting and discussing everything from treaties to vampires to kitchen colors. They had decorated it with the blue tulle and hung blue ribbons from its branches. As a finishing touch, they'd strewn white silk rose petals on the sand around it. The blue against the white background looked fabulous. "It's perfect," I whispered.

"You like?" Angela asked, as Jess squealed in delight.

"Look at her face! She loves it!" she said. "Bella, we remembered when you first met Jacob, right here on First Beach and how you guys sat on that tree talking and me and Mike almost couldn't find you. Remember? So it's like a little tribute to the beginning of your relationship – even though you didn't start going out with him until later." Jessica was in grave danger of actually gushing. I looked fondly at my friend. She was deliriously happy for me and it made me forget every petty thing that had happened between us. Spontaneously, I reached out and hugged her.

"Thanks, you guys," I said, pulling Angela into the hug too.

"Okay, enough of the love fest. This is a good spot for our first beach shots," Emily announced before things got out of hand. She took over from there and posed the three of us standing near the tree, then one of me with my fellow imprints. Of course we couldn't let on to my Forks friends about the imprints, so when Kim, Rachel, Leah, Emily and I posed, we had Jessica take the picture and called ourselves 'tribe sisters.' Jess and Angela laughed at us. Emily continued to pose us all around the beach, and the only thing I wished for was Jake – and the sun to come out. But at least it was staying dry.

Time seemed to fly and it didn't feel possible that two o'clock could sneak up on us so fast, but suddenly the chairs were filled with our friends and the tribe and the Forks townspeople. Charlie was standing at the end of the aisle, looking nervous and a little sick, a little green. Quil and Embry were at the front of the aisle with Rev. Stanley, looking like caricatures of themselves in their matching black suits. They were wearing dark aviator sunglasses (though there was absolutely no need for them) and looked like a couple of mob hitmen. I had to giggle when I saw them, which broke the tension somewhat. If I were being honest, I'd have to admit that I was as jumpy and nervous as Charlie.

Paul was playing a few easy-listening type songs as everyone took their seats. Sue patted Charlie's shoulder and squeezed my hand as she passed us, the last of the regular guests to be seated. She sat in the front row, next to Charlie's chair. Billy was escorted down the aisle by Jared, and then Renee clasped me in a hug as she passed with Seth, who was ushering her to her seat at the front. Phil followed them, and all at once everyone was seated and Paul changed the song to the wedding march.

Those first few strains locked me to the sand, but Charlie pulled me free. He moved us up until we stood behind Angela. Jess was already on her way down the aisle, smiling from side to side and eating up the spotlight. When she met up with Embry, they bowed in front of her dad and they went their separate ways to stand across from one another at the shore. Angela began her walk and Quil stepped up to stand in front of Rev. Stanley and wait for her. She met him and bowed, just as Jess had done, and now it was my turn. I stared at my feet, willing them to walk gracefully for once.

I took a deep breath as Charlie mumbled, "It's time."

"I know," I whispered back, and, still watching my feet, slowly put one foot in front of the other.

"You sure, Bells?" he asked quietly.

"Everyone's nervous the day of the wedding, Dad,"

"I know, Bells," he said. "But are you really _sure_?"

I looked up from watching my feet walk the planks and into my dad's face. "Dad," I began…

And then I saw him. Right there. Waiting for me. Looking like the cover of GQ, smiling like he'd just won a million bucks, and all mine.

I felt my face stretch into a smile as my breathing sped up. I was suddenly anxious to get to the front of the aisle, to be next to him. Next to my wolf that mates for life.

I could tell he was working to make his face serious, but he was failing so far. He looked past me, got a grip on it, and looked back to me with an expression of determination. He seemed older somehow standing there in his expensive suit, his hands clasped in front of him - older even than he'd looked last night. More mature. More husband-like.

My dad had all but disappeared beside me, but we were at the front now, and he turned me to give me that final kiss. The edges of his eyes crinkled as he smiled and I knew the patter on the way up the aisle was only to distract me. He knew I was sure of Jake – because he was sure of us too.

I turned to Jacob, who took my hands and looked into my eyes as he whispered, "Bells…you look amazing." He let himself smile finally, and I returned it with a matching grin. We turned to Reverend Stanley.

"C'mon, Padre, we're burning daylight," he said loud enough for everyone to hear. A chuckle went through the crowd, and Rev. Stanley began.

"Dearly beloved…"

My mind wandered as I stared at his face – so happy it seemed to be lit from within. The Reverend droned on about cleaving to your husband and how love is patient and kind, but I heard only snippets. I was immersed in this moment, his eyes, our hearts. When he got to the part with the rings and put my plain silver band in Jake's hand, telling him to repeat the traditional vows, I thought the weather was going to do us in. I was looking down at our hands and heard the familiar sound of raindrops hitting the beach – just a tiny drizzle, but raindrops nonetheless. I looked up at Jake, alarmed at the shower, and caught his expression as he repeated, "…To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part." As he said it, the sun fell below the cloud line and threw a beam across the beach, catching the sprinkles and casting a rainbow stronger and more distinct than any I'd ever seen. For only a second, I was reminded of the rainbow sparkle of Edward, and I thought to myself that wherever he was, he was giving his blessing to our union.

The magical moment was over almost as soon as it happened, and now it was my turn to place the ring on his finger and repeat the vows. Rev. Stanley held out the silver ring with turquoise insets that my hard-earned tips had purchased and I slid it on to Jake's strong hand, reciting the vows from my heart. I choked a bit on the word 'husband,' only because it was so new to me, but as I finished the vow I looked into his face again, and saw his lips as he whispered one word, "Cool."

Rev. Stanley leaned in to Jake and said in a stage whisper, "You may now kiss your bride." I couldn't believe it. We were married, husband and wife, and I was Mrs. Jacob Black. He kissed me once, sweetly but modestly since we were in a crowd, and we turned to the guests, smiling from ear to ear. Now I didn't want to even bother with the party – I wanted to get back to our cabin and be alone with Jake.

But there was a party to be had, and party we would. We walked back down the aisle, Angela and Quil and Jess and Embry following, then went right around to the long table set up along the shoreline that was our head table. The Reverend made a few comments, then the toasts began while Sue and company began serving the food.

Emily was everywhere, taking photos of the guests and of us. At one point, she pulled Jake and me aside and took us to the driftwood tree, where she posed us and snapped away, taking shot after shot of us until our faces were sore from smiling.

Back at the table, I barely ate a bite. I was busy talking to everyone who came by to wish us well. They all wanted to know the details about what we were going to do now, how we planned to live together as a married couple. My high school friends, especially, were fascinated by the fact that we'd actually gotten married and were going to live together as husband and wife while still finishing our schooling and living our everyday existence. It was unbelievable to them – marrying someone who was still in high school. I thought about what they'd have thought if the same wedding was taking place with a different groom – Edward instead of Jacob. If Edward hadn't left me, we'd have probably been married this very weekend – a month before my nineteenth birthday and two months after our graduation. I wondered if the reaction would've been the same.

Probably not…Edward had always seemed more mature and aloof when compared with our other classmates. They would have automatically expected Edward and me to marry. But because Jake was younger, had less money, and lived on the reservation, they questioned our decision. Just like our parents had, just like everyone had. But I was proud of Jake's maturity. He'd done everything right as far as I was concerned. He'd gotten money for my ring and for the little cabin, he'd shown me he could handle the upkeep of our home, and he'd been completely dedicated to me, his job, and his education ever since we'd gotten engaged. I couldn't wait to start our life together.

Dinner was over, and the cake had been cut. Paul and Sam were behind the deejay table and ready to start the music. Sam announced our first dance, _I'm Yours_ by Jason Mraz. I didn't want to dance – I hated being the center of attention and I was as clumsy as ever, so going out on the dance floor with Jake wasn't exactly high on my list of things to do. But the words to the song seemed particularly relevant tonight, and as the bride, I was obligated to dance at least once.

"Come on, honey, let's show them how to do this," Jake said, taking my hand. When I held back, he turned back to me. "What's wrong?" he asked in concern. "They're waiting."

"I don't dance, Jake. I'm not good at it," I admitted, looking up at him sheepishly.

He leaned in and winked at me. "Yeah, but I am," he said wickedly, and pulled me on to the dance floor.

And suddenly, I could dance. With Jake leading, I could dance. I realized it was the same in every aspect of my life. With Jake, I could do whatever it was I thought I couldn't do.

And that was the meaning of all of this.

The night sped by and what I remember of it was pure magic. That first dance put me in the mood to dance for the rest of the evening as long as I was dancing with Jake, and we stayed out on the floor for the majority of the reception. The party broke up just a little ahead of schedule when the inevitable rain began. Everyone pitched in to get the tables and chairs onto the trailer that the guys had left off to the side just in case. It was a fitting end to our celebration.

And then it was time for Jake and me to go home.

Home.

When we arrived, someone (probably Rachel, who had been conspicuously absent during the beach cleanup) had sprinkled rose petals from the front door to the tiny bedroom. In the bedroom, a heart shaped box of chocolate covered caramels was propped on the bed and quiet music played. I was suddenly shy.

Jake took off his jacket and tie, and then he began unbuttoning his shirt. He glanced over at me, standing awkwardly on the other side of the bed, not knowing what to do.

"You okay, baby?" he asked.

"I feel great," I said, sounding like I was lying and just a little too enthusiastic. I didn't know why I was abruptly bashful around him. I'd never been like that.

He slid his shirt off and dropped it on top of the secondhand dresser. And then he stepped toward me, slinking like a jungle cat. "Good," he drawled. "I'm about to make you feel even better."

"Jake," I giggled, still wary.

He pulled me toward him just a little roughly. "What?" he asked gently. "This is it, Bells. We're not really married until the…" He lowered his voice to a whisper and put his lips to my ear. "Consummation."

I couldn't believe he even knew words like that. It caused me to laugh and pull away, but he stopped me. "Yeah, consummation," he continued. "And I do plan to _consume_ you." He bent my head back and his lips covered mine roughly and insistently. As his tongue explored my mouth, he reached behind me for the zipper to the dress and pulled it down. He slid the dress off my shoulders and let go so it would fall to the floor. That's when I drew the line.

"Jake, that's my _wedding_ dress!" I cried, bending down to scoop it off the floor like it was an injured child. I turned away from him as I put it on a hanger and hung it in the tiny closet. Before I could turn back, his arms embraced me from behind.

"I meant what I said," he growled softly, a slight Alpha tone to his voice. "Stop stalling."

I loved when the Alpha came out, and I was instantaneously drawn to him. I felt my link begin to throb, and I knew what that meant – we needed to be _together_. I turned toward him in only my pretty new underwear, putting my arms around his neck and pulling him closer. And that's when we heard the roar. Of the motorcycle. Outside the window.

Raucous laughter filled the air, along with squealing and howls. Jake let his head fall back as a frustrated groan escaped his throat. "Ugghhh, you _gotta_ be kidding," he mumbled, disentangling himself from me and turning toward the noise.

"Jake, what is it?" I asked anxiously.

"Those assholes," was all he said.

"Who?" I asked urgently.

He looked at me, shaking his head in annoyance. "The fucking pack," he said, as if it were obvious. "It's a shivaree."

"A what? What's that?" I asked.

"A shivaree. It's a stupid tradition – brought over here by the French, so you know it's crazy," he said. "I hope it's just the pack and not the rest of the fuckin tribe." He walked to the window and pulled the handmade curtains aside to peer out. I could see flashlights and lanterns and hear the ridiculous whooping of the pack, but it didn't look like more than about ten people. That would be the pack and the imprints, no one else. I breathed a sigh of relief as I pulled my robe from the closet; I wasn't going to let them see me in my wedding underwear!

There was sudden banging on the front and back doors and the bedroom windows. They couldn't see in since it was dark inside, but we could see them. They were having the time of their lives.

Jake raised the window a few inches and the shouting only got louder. "Get the hell outta here, ya bunch of cockblockers!" he yelled, but there was a smile in his voice.

"Don'tcha got her in the sack yet, O mighty Alpha?" Paul crowed loudly amid guffaws from the rest of the pack.

"Get out here, Black – we brought presents!" Sam added.

"You're all getting married too someday," Jake reminded them loudly. "Trust me, this isn't as much fun from my side."

"Come on, Jake," Seth coaxed. "Seriously, _presents_!"

Jake turned away from the window, muttering under his breath, "I don't fuckin care about presents right now." But he let out a tortured sigh and went to the back door.

Seth was standing on our deck, dressed in suit pants and nothing else. "You have to come out of the house, Jake," he said gleefully. "Trust me, it's worth it!"

I watched Jacob walk out our back door into the fray and I didn't want him out of my sight. I followed him.

The pack was assembled in our makeshift backyard, which was just more of the same woods that surrounded everything else here on the rez. They had matching grins plastered all over their faces and were standing shoulder to shoulder. Even the imprints were standing there. Emily held a sheaf of envelopes and there were a few wrapped gifts on the lawn, but the group actually seemed to be hiding something behind them.

"Okay, I'm out here. What's the big present I have to see before I can make wedding night love to my _wife_?" he demanded.

The pack parted, revealing behind them Jacob's motorcycle. I looked at Jake's face as it went from marginally pissed to incredulous to overjoyed. "What?" he boomed.

"We wanted to give you something else to ride tonight," Paul said inappropriately, drawing embarrassed laughter from everyone except me.

"Sam, seriously?" Jake asked, moving toward the bike.

"Come on, Black. I couldn't take that thing away from you," Sam answered, beaming.

"But…but…you paid me for it. You gave me money for it – money I used to buy Bella's engagement ring. Money I used to pay for repairs around this place." He swept his hand around as if to show them what he meant.

"I know, Jake, I know," Sam said, making a placating gesture. "And before you lose your mind, let me explain. We knew you needed money, and we knew you couldn't earn enough at the garage in time. So we all got together and pooled our money. We all paid for it – it wasn't just me. And we knew we'd give it back to you as a gift – so you're not allowed to get pissed at us."

"That's two presents," Jake argued. "You gave me the money and now you're giving me the bike. That's not fair."

"The money was for you," Emily said. "The motorcycle is for Bella." They laughed, but Jake didn't.

"I sold the bike to you _because_ of Bella," Jake explained to Sam. Jacob reached back and pulled me toward him by the hand, wrapping me in his arms from behind. "I don't want her to worry when I'm out riding."

"Jake," I said, craning my neck to look at him. "I want you to ride. I love riding together." I realized that I'd come so dangerously close to giving up my life to be with Edward, I never wanted Jake to give anything up for me.

Jake seemed embarrassed and humbled by the gesture. He approached the pack and held out a hand to Sam. "Thanks, man. I mean it. For everything." He grabbed Sam's hand, but Sam pulled him in for a hug.

"We're brothers, Jake. We take care of our own," Sam said, sounding like an Alpha himself. Jake hugged him back. "Okay!" Sam said triumphantly. "Forget about the hog for a minute. There's other presents too. Open them!"

"Shit, Sam!" Jacob answered in frustration. "I really don't care about presents now, okay? I have a few other things on my mind."

"Just open 'em, and we'll leave you guys alone," Paul said.

"Come on, Jake. The faster we open them, the faster they'll leave," I told him.

Jake growled. "No," he said, holding out his hand. Emily handed over the pile of envelopes while Leah carried the wrapped gifts up to the deck. "You guys have to go," he said.

"Is that an Alpha order, O great and powerful?" asked Paul facetiously.

Jake hated Alpha orders, but this was a once in a lifetime occasion. I held my breath…would he actually issue an Alpha order here?

"I would really prefer that it wouldn't _have_ to be," he said, dignified.

Leah took the hint and leaned in toward Quil, whispering something to him. Quil turned to Sam. "Sam, come on," he wheedled. "Jake had a point when he said we're all probably gonna get married someday. I don't want you rejects hanging around when I'm trying to have _my_ wedding night."

Sam looked abashed. "Maybe you're right," he said reluctantly. "Okay, let's go. We'll check back with you in the morning." I caught him winking at the rest of the pack with a naughty grin, and I knew they'd be back _early_ in the morning. It made me all the more anxious to get back in the privacy of our room.

The pack finally left, and Jake and I went back in, immediately heading for our bedroom. Once there, Jake turned to me. "If we hear anything else, we're ignoring it," he said, grabbing me and attacking my mouth with his.

I agreed completely.

He backed me up to the bed, systematically removing my robe and dropping it on the floor. His nose traced my jaw line as he murmured a growl. "_Damn,_it's been a long time. I've been waiting for this," he whispered gruffly.

I sighed gently in response as he lowered me to the bed. As soon as he'd gotten me on my back, he stood and slid his sexy black tux pants off. For the first time ever, he was actually wearing underwear – black satin boxer shorts. But they were only on for a second. He slid those off too, leaving them in a heap on our bedroom floor, climbing back on the bed and positioning himself over me. One hand went to the back of my head, cradling it gently; while the other reached behind me and with a subtle flick, unhooked my new white satin bra.

He smoothed it down my arms and tossed it aside. Every scintilla of shyness gone, I pulled my panties off, kicking them across the room. I could still hear the remnants of the pack disappearing into the woods and we were already completely undressed.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Ready for what?" I asked between kisses on his stubbly chin.

"Ready for this," he said, dipping his head to my chest and taking my nipple in his mouth. At the same time, his hand crept down to my center and slowly began stroking along my already slick folds."Whoa," he gasped, pulling away from my nipple and looking into my face with narrowed eyes. "You're awfully bare down here." The naughty smile touching the corners of his mouth was worth the surprise. "God, that's so fuckin sexy," he said as his middle finger, hotter than an ember, found the tiny bundle of nerves at the crest of my labia, and touched it maddeningly softly. My hips lifted involuntarily, searching for firmer contact, for a more aggressive touch – but Jacob was having none of it.

"We're doing this at my pace, babe," he said matter-of-factly. "I'm in no hurry tonight."

"But I _am_," I whined. "I want to come."

I couldn't believe my own boldness. But unfortunately, Jake wasn't impressed by it. He chuckled. "You'll come," he whispered. "You just have to be…" he drew his fingers up from my bikini line over my stomach, trailing wetness across my belly. "…Patient." He flicked his tongue out across my nipple, causing me to shiver.

"_Ugh_, Jake!" I moaned. But I wasn't completely helpless – I could make Jacob want to hurry. I just had to use my imagination.

"Okay..." I said, drawing the word out as if I were acquiescing. My hands traveled to his back and down until they spread over the firm globes of his ass. I dug my newly painted nails into it and slowly drew my hands up, scraping my nails across his backside and causing him to hiss between his teeth.

"What are you doing?" he asked, pulling away from my nipple to look at me. His eyes crinkled at the edges, belying his stern expression.

"I'm making you want me," I panted.

"I want you, honey," he said, dropping kisses across my breasts. "You don't have to make me do anything."

"Apparently I do," I argued softly. "Because you're not doing what I _want_ right now."

"And what is it that you _want,_ Mrs. Black?" he asked. The use of my new name caused a smile I couldn't control.

I pulled his head up so I could see his face. Was he really going to make me say it? "You know what I want," I said.

"I think I forgot," he grinned nastily, cocking one black brow.

I narrowed my eyes at him for a second, then thought, What the hell? It's just us, he's my husband, who cares what I say to him in bed?

"I want you to..." I began in a whisper. I almost chickened out, but his rapt expression spurred me on. "Kiss me right down here," I took his hand and moved it to my smooth softness. "And put your tongue on it...and lick me there until I come." As I described it, his pupils dilated and his breathing increased. I felt his erection growing harder against my thigh.

"Oh my god," he murmured with a groan. His fingers trailed back to my center and he was instantly gone, his face between my legs, his tongue right where I wanted it to be.

Hm. That was easy.

That thought was fleeting though. Because almost as soon as I thought it, my mind was drawn to the actions of my husband, now knuckle deep inside me, his tongue bringing me closer and closer to the climax I'd begged for. The feeling was unbelievable without the sparse covering of hair. I couldn't fathom how a few square inches of fuzz could make this much of a difference - I was immeasurably more sensitive down there. And the orgasm happened quick, quicker than it ever had. Before I knew it I was writhing, my neck stretched back, my mouth open and sighing.

As he coaxed the last few tremors from me with his fingers, he slid back up and kissed me, his mouth dewy with my wetness. I sucked his tongue in, unable to control myself, and I heard him chuckle as I kissed him eagerly.

"Happy now?" he murmured against my lips. "Cause now I get what _I_ want."

I was still in a post orgasmic swoon, so I didn't even bat an eye when he began nibbling on my now extremely sensitive nipples. "What do _you_ want?" I asked softly.

"This," he answered, coming back up to kiss me and slowly lowering himself into me. Since it had been weeks since we'd done this, his enormous member stretched me again - but the link took away any discomfort and replaced it with urgent heat. It felt so good to have him filling me from inside, the remnants of my climax still causing me to quiver within.

"God, Jake," I breathed, unable to control myself. I bucked up into him rhythmically, but he held still for a moment, stopping me.

"Baby,_slow_. We have all night," he whispered into my ear.

_Oh my god..._

I whimpered, but he wasn't giving in. He made love to me slow, sweet, unbearably sexy - whispering in my ear the whole time.

"Bells, I love you more than I thought I _could_ love," he said. "You're so fuckin perfect - every move you make is amazing. I'm so glad...I thank God every day for this stupid fuckin werewolf thing that made me imprint on you and made us want to be together always. You're..." he choked up for a second. "The most important thing in my life, baby."

His words more than his actions made my insides throb with intensity. I was dangerously close to another orgasm already - and I didn't want that yet. I wanted to enjoy him, every inch of him. I murmured words of love that didn't come close to matching his as I disengaged him from my insides. I crawled up on top of him and he turned over, a worried expression on his face. "Wha...where you going?" he asked, alarmed, as I moved slowly down his neck to his chest, peppering his smooth russet skin with caresses from my pursed lips.

I stopped at his nipple, reaching out with the tip of my tongue to tease the tiny peak. I flicked my tongue over it lightly, causing him to lean back on the pillow and sigh with content. My hand reached to his other nipple. grasping it gently until I remembered how fantastic it felt when he was a little more vigorous with mine. Then I squeezed it harder, eliciting a deep groan from his throat and making his hand grasp the back of my head in a death grip, pressing me even closer to him. I gave the nipple between my fingers one last strong squeeze and moved away, down his rippled abs to his belly.

Here I kissed a line down his happy trail, drawing my tongue from his navel to his hair line as my fingers found the handful of plum-like nuggets in the sac under his throbbing cock. I smoothed my palm over them, pressing them against him and fascinated by their warmth and bulk. "Holy shit, Bells," he gasped, and I knew that what I was doing was pleasuring him.

Of course, we both knew what was coming next - I positioned my mouth over the pulsating shaft between his thighs and licked the head thoroughly, then blew a puff of cold air across it. He made an unintelligible moan, ending with a sigh and my name and a curse word. A secret smile formed on my occupied lips as I licked it again and blew on it once more, cooling it for a second time before taking it deep into my throat. I hoped the contrast between temperatures would drive him crazy.

And oh, it did. He grabbed the back of my head, his hand fisting into my hair and pushing my face loser into his groin, his cock slipping down my throat as my nose buried in his pubes. I couldn't breathe for a second, but my senses filled with Jake - my_husband_ - as I moaned around his shaft. He seemed to remember himself then, and he relinquished the hold on my hair and let me back off a little so I could get a lungful of air. "Jesus, Bells, don't _do_ that! You drive me crazy, honey - I forgot where I was for a second."

I smiled up at him from between his legs. "You're here in bed with me, your man-eating wife," I said, and bent my head back down to suck him.

"Oh my god," he groaned, and that only served to spur me on. I pulled him into my mouth, loving the feeling of his smooth skin against my tongue, my cheeks caving in with the suction. His hand was back in my hair, but gently this time, more of a loving gesture than the violent one from a minute ago. I made little humming sounds around his swollen member, the vibration making him buck into me involuntarily. "Baby," he gasped, his hand cupping my face and trying to pull it away. "You gotta stop. You're gonna make me come, babe ... it's too soon. Jesus, Bells, that feels _way_ too good..."

"Mmmmm," was my only reply.

He sat up, and this time he pulled my mouth off him. "Wait," he panted. "Holy fuck, Bells, where did you learn this shit?"

I giggled, flicking my tongue out to taste him one last time, sweeping a drop of pre-cum from the end of his shaft. "I have an active imagination," I said slyly.

He pulled me back up on top of him, kissing my mouth like he couldn't get enough. Positioning me over his erection, he lowered my hips until his tool pressed into me, going deeper than it ever had. Ooooh, I liked this position - I could rub my clit on his pubic bone as he thrust into me. It felt desperately incredible, his cock pumping into me, stroking my nub with each thrust. I was at the brink of an orgasm in minutes. I moved from the chest-to-chest position I was in and sat up, reveling in the amazing feeling coming from between my legs and as he looked up at me, I palmed my own breasts, reaching to pinch my nipples, in a show for him as much as for me. He made a strangled noise as I rocked on top of him at the cusp of my climax - and as I felt the first hot spurts of his load splash my insides, I clenched in a second orgasm, even stronger than the first. We throbbed together as I fell back down onto him, sucking his tongue into my mouth and kissing him like it was my last time.

We lay together afterwards, sweaty and spent, our wedding night consummation complete. It was only then that I realized the time - it was after three, and I knew the pack would be back soon. I put my hand on my husband's cheek and whispered, "Hey. I love you."

"Love you too," he answered in a tired voice.

"We gotta get some sleep, Black," I said. "The stupid pack will be back before we know it."

He groaned. "I know," he said, absently kissing my temple. "But I don't wanna move."

"You're not moving," I informed him. I reached for the covers, pulled them over us, and kissed his chin. "Good night, husband," I said.

"Good night, wife," he answered.

True to form, at six in the morning when the dawn was still gray, we heard the hoots and hollers of the pack again. Their faces were at our window, pounding on the glass and shouting for us to come out. "Stupid idiots," Jake mumbled as he rose and pulled on his satin boxers from last night. His morning erection stood out proudly, and he didn't trouble to hide it as he pushed the curtains aside and opened the window. "The fuck do you want?" he asked indignantly.

The guys responded as expected, teasing Jake about his boner and making inappropriate comments until Jake gave in and began laughing. He turned away from the window and said, "Put something on, they're coming in," as he passed through the bedroom to the kitchen.

I pulled on a pair of sweats out of the drawer that we'd stocked with our things a few days ago, and after snapping on a bra I donned a t-shirt and entered the kitchen.

The room looked even smaller, filled as it was with seven hulking men and Leah. The imprints weren't with them, and I was grateful - there simply wasn't enough room.  
Sam carried an enormous basket which he set on our little table. "Emily and the girls sent breakfast," he said, pulling back the cloth covering the food. There was a container of scrambled eggs, one of bacon, a pile of waffles, at least a dozen muffins, orange juice and a thermal carafe of coffee.

"Awesome," Jake said, going to the cabinet and taking out our new plates. "Did you guys eat?"

"Jake, you don't need plates," Leah said. "Em sent disposable stuff - she didn't want Bella to have to do dishes on her first day as a married woman."

"Ha!" I said sarcastically as Jake put the stack of plates away. "Jacob will be doing all the dishes in _this_ house!" My facetious statement brought laughter all around. Jake came up and grabbed my waist from behind.

"You keep on doing what you did in bed last night, baby, and I'll do the dishes until the day I die," he laughed, turning my face beet red. The guffaws of the pack echoed through the tiny house as I slapped his arm playfully.

Sam took over. "Okay, so last night you sent us away before you opened your presents...so let's get that done." As he spoke, Seth and Leah began unpacking the basket and distributing the dishes on the counter along with the disposable plates, cups, and flatware. I moved to help them.

"What's the giant hurry, Sam?" asked Jake peevishly. "Why don't you give me some time with my new wife?"

"I wanna see what you got," he said, sounding like a little kid. I smiled indulgently.

"Come on, Jake. I want to know, too," I told him.

Leah had a copy of the guest list and a pen. She was going to take notes while we opened the gifts so we'd have a list to work from when sending thank you notes. The pack had loaded up on breakfast, so Jake and I helped ourselves to the delicious smelling food. We sat in the living room on the floor and ate off our laps since there weren't enough chairs to go around. It was a cozy breakfast for the first one as a married couple, and I got a strong sense of happiness as I took in the scene in my tiny home.

The wrapped presents were from members of the tribe, and contained a waffle iron, a blender and a set of knives. Jake was ripping open envelopes, announcing check amounts and names, having a field day. It seemed to go on a long time and I was touched by the gifts everyone had contributed. Leah finally spoke up.

"That's everyone," she said, checking off the final name on the list. "You guys got a nice little nest egg here!"

Jake looked confused. He held up a large, cream colored envelope made of heavy paper.

"You say that's everyone? So who's this one from?" he asked me.

I shrugged. "Open it," I said.

He slid a finger under the envelope flap and drew out the card inside. When he opened it, his face paled. "This has got to be a joke," he choked.

"What is it, Jake?" I asked in alarm.

"It's a cashier's check for ten thousand dollars. Nothing inside the card except this: Best Wishes, An Old Friend." He handed it to me.

I knew the signature – I'd recognize that script anywhere. I'd seen it on prescriptions and gift tags. But how did this envelope get on the rez? It would have been a violation of the treaty if any of them had set foot on Quileute land.

Sam was off to the side, smirking, until I noticed him. "Sam?" I asked. "Do you know something about this?"

"He stopped me in town last week and gave me the card. I had no idea he'd put a check inside," Sam explained. Now I knew why Emily had said Sam was jumpy yesterday - I'd thought it was the motorcycle, but it was this.

"How did he seem?" I asked quietly, as the room listened to our conversation.

"Subdued. Quiet. He says they're doing okay, though. They miss the rest of their coven, but they're doing okay."

I nodded. I was glad of that, at least. "Did he give you any contact information? I'd at least like to send a thank you note," I said.

"Nah, he said the fact that you're happy is thanks enough for him," Sam said carefully, peering at my face. "Are you okay?"

I looked up at him and smiled, then found Jake's eyes staring at me from across the room. "Sam," I said. "I'm perfect."

-The End-


	30. Chapter 30 - EPILOGUE

**Okay, you asked for it! Here we are eight years after the wedding. The Black family still lives in Lee-hana's little cottage on the rez, but some things have changed. They're on their way to a special occasion - tune in for my last installment of this story. Thanks for sticking with me. Love you guys!**

EPILOGUE

"Bella, come on! We're gonna be late!" I heard Jake call from the front of the house. Quickly, I fastened the diaper around my dark haired daughter's squirming legs.

"I'm hurrying!" I called back. "Is Billy ready?"

I could hear him hollering to our three year old son out the front door. "Billy, not in the mud!" I rolled my eyes, groaning. But then Jake's mischievously smiling face appeared at the bedroom window and he laughed. Up popped the dark, shiny head of his son, with a matching grin.

"Did we fool you, Mommy?" little Billy yelled.

I laughed. "You sure did," I told him. Jake swung him up so I could see that his clothes were still impeccable and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's enough fooling around," I said in a mock-stern voice that I knew wouldn't fool either of them. Their faces disappeared from the window.

My daughter let out a wail at seeing her beloved daddy and brother disappear. I leaned down to whisper in her ear as she lay on the changing table. At the same time, I nimbly fastened her tiny shoes to her kicking feet. "Shh, it's okay Sammy," I whispered. "They're right outside."

I slung her up to my hip and turned back toward the kitchen as her little fists squeezed into the fancy lace of my dress. I knew she was wrinkling it, but too bad. I was a mother - if someone didn't like the way my dress looked, they could go jump off one of the sea cliffs.

Jake came through the kitchen door just then. He was still so hot it took my breath away, especially today, dressed as he was. "Here, give her to me," he said, holding out his hands. "Billy's already in the car seat."

"You know he can get out of that thing," I warned him as I handed the baby over and turned toward the bathroom to finish putting on my makeup.

"I know, but I told him if he did, no Ambush for the rest of the week." Ambush was the name for their elaborate cowboys and Indians game - and I was pretty sure Jake liked it as much if not more than little Billy. He smiled his dazzling smile at me and leaned over for a kiss. I pecked his lips once. "That's all I get?" he asked, feigning disappointment.

"Until later," I confirmed. "We're gonna be late, remember?" But he was already carrying the baby away, crooning a song into her little ear.

Quickly, I applied the remainder of my half-assed makeup attempt, and then grabbed my purse and diaper bag. At the last minute, I snatched a large envelope off the table and stuffed it in my purse as I swept out the door.

Jake sat behind the wheel of his black Ford F-150 pickup. He'd bought it used about six months after our wedding, and had kept it in mint condition with frequent tuneups at the garage all through college. It ran like a champ - I didn't think we'd ever have to replace it. I still drove the red pickup Charlie had given me back when I first came to Forks, but we also had a used Honda that I would use to drive Billy to pre-school and to run errands. As I settled myself into the pickup, I began the pre-event lecture that I always gave on the way to any party or gathering.

"Billy, you're going to be a good boy today, aren't you? This is important to Mommy and Daddy." Though Billy was almost always well-behaved, he was still a three-year-old boy and could be counted on to be unpredictable.

"Why don't you ever tell _Sammy_ to behave?" he asked in a grumble.

I'd seen this one coming and knew how to deflect it. "Samantha is a baby, Billy. She's too little to know how to behave. When she's bigger, she'll have to behave too," I explained patiently.

But Jake had a better idea. "Samantha, you'd better be a good girl today too, or no more rides on the swing," he said menacingly. I had to giggle under my breath. The eight month old Samantha wouldn't understand much of what he'd said. However, she did burst into a huge, six-toothed grin as soon as she heard her daddy say her name.

Little Billy laughed. "Don't worry, Mom, I'll be good," he assured me.

"Good boy," I said.

"Em's cousin is watching the kids anyway, right?" Jake asked me. He was referring to the eleven-year-old Claire, Emily's cousin from the Makah reservation. She would be keeping the kids out of the fray so that the adults could enjoy the evening.

"Yeah, she's supposed to," I said.

"But I still get to play with Luke and Joey and Quil, right?" Billy asked worriedly.

"And Lucy, don't forget her," I told him.

"Yeah, and Lucy," he agreed readily. I loved the way the boys included Seth's daughter in their games. They weren't to the age where girls were off limits yet.

As we drove, I observed with happiness the construction that was occurring around the rez. Everywhere we looked, a new street was being paved or a new house was being built. I was thrilled beyond measure that the gift Carlisle had bestowed on the tribe had helped them out so much. The college fund was still there, still sending residents of the reservation on to higher education. I was proud that I'd been a part of it.

We pulled into the parking lot of the Tribal Center. Because we were one of the last cars there, we had to park toward the back. Jake lifted Sammy out of her seat as I gathered the bags and Billy unbuckled himself, hopping down from the height of the truck. "Billy, stay out of the puddles!" I called as he ran ahead of us toward the building.

Jake held my hand as we walked in. "You feel okay about today?" he asked.

"How could I not?" I answered. "I'm thrilled. I wish they'd done it a long time ago." Billy interrupted us by jumping with both feet into a shallow puddle.

"William Charles Black!" I shouted tartly, as Jake handed me the baby and caught up to him, scooping him up.

"No harm done," Jake reported after inspecting the child's clothes. But he brought him down to face level and talked sternly to him. "Billy, you told your mom and I that you'd behave. She said no puddles, didn't she?"

"Yes, sir," Billy said grumpily. "But Daddy..."

"Don't 'But Daddy' me," Jake interrupted. "When Mommy says no, it means_ no_. You understand?"

"Yes, sir," he said sullenly.

"You apologize to Mommy," Jake ordered.

"Sorry, Mommy," Billy said pathetically.

"Okay," I said. "Now go find the other kids and be_ good. _And don't get dirty!"

Jake released him and he walked carefully into the building, then bolted toward the banquet hall. I laughed as we followed him. It was hard to stay mad at a kid who was that cute.

The noise when we entered the Tribal Center was deafening. The kids, from toddlers to teenagers, were in the gym directly to the right, and several games of basketball were going on. Jake easily stopped little Billy and Paul's son, Tommy, preventing them from going in the gym. "You two are too little for this," he said. "Besides, Billy, you have to keep your clothes nice. And I don't think your mom wants you messed up either, Tommy."

"Come on, Uncle Jake," wailed Tommy. "We wanna play!"

"You can play in the preschool room," he said, carrying them down the hall and nearly running head-on into Paul, who was coming around the corner.

"There you are, Tommy, you little rascal!" Paul cried, taking Tommy out of Jake's grasp. "Where'd you find him?" he asked Jacob.

"In the gym with kids twice his size," Jake said with a grin.

"Come on, Claire has some activities for the littler ones. Bella, do you want us to bring Sammy?"

"No, I'll keep her for now," I said. "And isn't it almost time to start anyway?"

Paul grinned. "Groom's late," he said over his shoulder as he and Jake continued down the hall, each bending sideways to hold the hands of their tiny offspring.

I rolled my eyes, sighing. Typical. I made my way to the banquet hall in the back of the building. Leah was there, sitting at the head table with the dark head of her newborn pressed to her breast. She looked harried.

"Bella, thank goodness! Take little Quil to the preschool room, will you? I can't find my idiot husband, and that kid is driving me nuts."

I thought I remembered seeing big Quil in the gym with the kids. How appropriate. I handed Sammy to Kim, who sat next to Leah obviously struggling with the nausea of her first pregnancy. Jared was nowhere in sight either. I looked around for little Quil and saw him crawling on the dusty floor in his tiny black dress pants. "Quil, come on! Little Billy and Tommy need you!" I held my arms out as he ran headfirst into my grasp.

"They're here?" he asked joyfully. He was the exact picture of his father and had the same mischievous sense of humor. I smiled into his little face.

"They can't wait to see you," I confirmed. I met Jake and Paul on their way back to the banquet room. I brought them up to speed and they continued on their way with an admonition to Jake to relieve Kim of Sammy as soon as possible, since she didn't look very well.

I dropped little Quil in the preschool room, but before going back to the banquet room, I stuck my head in the gym and told Quil to get back there and give his wife a break. Back in the banquet room I joined my friends, asking, "Did he show?"

Jake chuckled. "He just walked in, looking like he had a gun at his back," he said.

"Please!" said Rachel, who was now sitting with Paul. "It's strictly a formality! They've been together for years - it's about time they made it legal!"

Amanda, the wife of Seth for the past four years, entered the room breathlessly. "God!" she sighed, taking a seat. "Being the wife of a member of the wedding party is as exhausting as being the bride!"

"Did you drop Lucy off in the preschool room?" Jake asked, referring to her only child, a chubby two year old.

"Yes, and the boys tackled her as usual. She was screaming with laughter when I left." She smiled at the thought.

Billy was suddenly there, rolling in with a look of determination. He was dressed in his tuxedo. As the head of the Council, he could perform a wedding ceremony and that is what he was doing today. He also had the duties of the Best Man, however, and he rolled straight up to me.

"Give me my granddaughter, son," he said to Jake, taking Samantha into his lap. He reached into his jacket pocket and held his hand out to me. "Hold this," he said, dropping it into my palm. It was the wedding band, a swirling ring of platinum that I knew fit into the engagement ring perfectly.

"Why?" I asked.

"So I don't lose it," he said. He seemed as nervous as the groom. He held Sammy up in front of his face, smiling at her. "Calm me down, kid," he said. She began laughing and trying to grasp the ubiquitous black cowboy hat off his head, causing chuckles all around. He blew a big raspberry kiss on her stomach, causing her to dissolve in infectious laughter.

The room was now pretty full. Quil had rounded up the kids and they were all with their parents, taking their seats. The noise level in the room rose exponentially. Claire showed up, leading the toddlers in a double line. Our little ones joined us, climbing on the laps of any available adult in the group.

"You ready?" a voice asked from behind Billy. No one had seen Charlie walk up to us.

"More importantly, are _you_ ready?" Billy countered.

"Ready as I'm gonna get," he said reluctantly.

"Charlie, don't pretend that this isn't your dream come true. You've wanted my mom ever since you laid eyes on her back in high school," Leah laughed.

Charlie smiled in spite of himself. "She's sure something, isn't she?" he said. I couldn't help but grin at his very apparent love for Sue. I was thrilled for both of them - thrilled beyond words.

At that moment, Seth called them from the back of the room. "Get ready," he said. "This thing is about to go down." Seth was giving his mother away. Charlie and Billy went to the front of the room to wait for the bride. Leah handed her tiny newborn, Joy, to Quil and disappeared out the door to serve the duties of Matron of Honor.

Leah came back in regally, looking absolutely beautiful in her dark blue gown. Even shortly after giving birth she was breathtaking. But Sue was the real star. She looked like she was twenty years younger as she walked down the makeshift aisle, her arm through Seth's. She was dressed in a knee-length ivory silk gown and had a crown of flowers in her hair. She smiled from left to right, taking in the guests and the decor that we'd worked so hard the day before to perfect.

Charlie stood like a statue next to Billy in his chair. He looked almost as nervous as he had at my wedding. I wished I could reassure him, tell him for the umpteenth time that he was making the right move in marrying Sue - that it wasn't like his first marriage in any way. But it was too late for that, and I'd told him that very thing more times than I could count. I saw his brown eyes soften, though, as he took in the image his new wife cut as she floated down the aisle. I saw him take a deep breath - and realized it was a sigh of relief. He finally knew what I'd been trying to tell him - that this was going to make is life so much happier.

Sam and Emily, their three children following them like stair steps, crept in late. I smiled knowingly at Emily. She was in the final days of her fourth pregnancy and I could tell by the look of the family that they'd had a hard time getting out of the house today. She rolled her eyes at me, sitting down in the one vacant seat next to me.

"I'll be so glad when school's over for Sam," she whispered as Billy started the ceremony. I nodded sympathetically. "It's so hard with all the kids all week when he's not here."

"Think of how great it will be when he's got his practice going," I whispered before Jake gave me a look for talking during the vows. Emily nodded.

"Can't wait," she said.

As I took in the group at the long head table, my heart swelled with happiness. Sam was about to graduate with his degree in Psychology, his dream profession. Leah was successfully running the construction company on the rez. Seth worked for her, and together they employed the majority of the men on the rez. Paul had an office in Forks where he worked for a law firm that was based in Seattle. He'd been helping the Quileutes navigate land ownership. Quil had gotten his degree in agriculture, and had a big parcel of land that did a brisk business in hydroponic farming. He employed many of the women on the rez. My Jacob was a math teacher at the rez school and encouraged the youth to continue on to college, something he said he'd never heard from a teacher when he was in high school. I was staying home with my babies for now, but I helped out at the school doing substitute teaching in English Lit periodically. I'd go back to full time when the kids were all in school all day.

I caught Jake's eye and gave him a secret smile as I lay my hand on my belly. The day that the kids were all in school full time wouldn't be coming quickly. No one but Jake and I knew it yet, but the twin tradition of the Black family was about to continue.

"You may now kiss the bride," Billy pronounced, and my dad leaned in to kiss Sue. The applause was deafening.

THE (REAL) END


End file.
